YSU SOFTBALL Penguins split with Southern Utah

Youngstown State, with a 9-23 record, has already surpassed last season's win total.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN --Youngstown State sophomore pitcher Stephanie Hartman knew what she had to do.
Her teammate, Be Cicero made just one mistake in the opener but lost a 1-0 decision to Southern Utah in a Mid-Continent Conference softball game at Harrison Field Tuesday.
The assignment for Hartman: make no mistakes and hope for some offensive support.
Second shutout: Hartman came through, pitching her second shutout of the season while yielding just four hits and no walks as YSU won, 6-0.
Hartman, a graduate of Badger High, struck out four.
Hartman (4-7) had an ERA of 2.00 entering the game and had a no-hitter with one out in the fourth. However, she said she was not thinking of a personal achievement, just of her team.
"Seven innings and pitching strong," were her thoughts when a solid double to straight-away center field broke up the no-hit bid.
By then YSU (9-23, 3-7 Mid-Con) had seized a 6-0 lead, spurred by a four-run fourth.
"My teammates are awesome," Hartman said. "I can't ask for anything more."
YSU got at least one hit from six players; five players scored and four picked up RBIs.
YSU used three hits, three errors, a hit batter and a walk to score its four runs in the fourth inning.
"It's a team sport," YSU coach Christy Cameron said. "Everybody does their part and understands their role."
Freshman Lacey Reichert had a single, double and two runs scored, while Karyn McCready, another freshman, doubled twice for the Penguins.
Cicero doubled in two runs and sophomore catcher Natalie Cappuzzello had a single and two RBIs.
"In the games that we have done well, we've had different people produce throughout," Cameron said.
First game: In the first game Cicero (4-10) and Mandy Flint of the Thunderbirds (20-23, 11-3) were hooked up in a scoreless duel for three innings.
In the fourth inning Kelly Grundy of Southern Utah took a Cicero pitch 30 feet over the left-center field fence for the only run of the game.
Cicero came back in the last of the fourth to line a double off the center field fence, but she was stranded on second.
YSU finished 7-42 last season when Cameron was in her first season. The Penguins have already surpassed the win total.
"Everything takes a little bit of time and a lot of hard work," Cameron said of the resurgent program.
"That's what's great about this program and the kids. I always talk to the kids that every game we want to take another step in the right direction and improve. We're headed in the right direction."
The teams were scheduled to play in another doubleheader today at noon.