By Cameron Mitchell and John Ostapowicz / The Jambar
Coming off of a loss to Bowling Green State University, the Youngstown State University baseball team returned to Horizon League play as the team hosted a three game series against Northern Kentucky University on April 11-13. The Penguins went 1-2 in the series.
In Game One, senior Jacob Gehring had seven strikeouts, five hits and allowed only one run over five innings. Junior Braden Gebhardt felt the loss after he allowed two runs on six hits with five strikeouts over four innings of relief.
The Norse crossed the plate first in the top of the fourth inning. Graduate student Tyler Shaneyfelt banged out for a two-out infield single, stole second base and scored on junior Logen Devenport’s RBI single to left field.
The ’Guins shot back with two runs on one hit in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Sophomore Nathan Beckley hit a one-out single and junior Garrett Cutting followed with a two-run home run over the left field wall.
NKU senior Kaden Echeman claimed nine strikeouts and two runs on four hits during the span of six innings. Sophomore Shawn Parnell won the game for NKU after punching in two scoreless innings of relief, while sophomore Even Fry pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close out the game.
Heading into Game Two of the series, Northern Kentucky scored five runs over its first two at bats and went on to defeat Youngstown State, 14-3.
NKU led the game 5-1 after the top of the second inning and 6-3 at the end of the sixth. The Norse added four runs in the top of the seventh to build a 10-3 edge, and held on to take down the Penguins for the second game in a row.
Senior Kyle Fossum went two-for-two with a double, two walks and recorded his 15th homer of the season. NKU finished with a 9-3 advantage in the hit column, drew a total of 17 walks and stole eight bases in Game Two.
For the Penguins, senior JJ Tylicki allowed five runs, three of which were claimed, off of two hits and walked five batters. Junior Sloan Ulrich allowed one run over four innings of relief while sophomore Colin Casteel surrendered three runs in one inning.
Northern Kentucky had three runs in the top of the second to increase its advantage. Three walks loaded the bases before a pair of runs were able to score on a failed pickoff attempt at second base.
NKU graduate student Connor Linn pushed five walks and allowed three runs on two hits over three innings. Junior Logan Wilson pinched in three scoreless innings to claim the Norse’s second win of the series.
In the series finale, YSU defeated NKU 18-8. The team’s 18 runs marked a season high.
The ’Guins held a 5-1 lead following the first inning before NKU scored four times in the top of the third to even the score.
The Penguins scored eight runs and built a 13-5 edge. The Norse crossed the plate three times in the top of the sixth, before YSU added another two runs in the sixth — one in the seventh and two in the eighth.
Youngstown State returned to the field April 15, with a nonconference road contest against Mercyhurst University.
Against the Lakers, the Penguins fell short 5-1, as they only mustered five hits. Beckley recorded the lone run for YSU and led the team in hits with two.
YSU falls to 8-27 overall and 5-10 in Horizon League play.
The team continues Horizon League competition against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for a three-game series April 17-19 in Milwaukee.