YSU

YSU
Baseball
FAIRBORN -- Youngstown State scored the game's first five runs and held off a ninth-inning Wright State rally to complete a series sweep Sunday.
J.D. Hannan had three hits while Jim Phillips and Dustin Thomas scored two runs apiece for the Penguins (23-15, 7-1 Horizon League).
Freshman Lucas Engle (3-1) allowed three runs on four hits in five innings. Kevin Libeg allowed a run in the ninth but held on to pick up his fourth save.
The Penguins scored three unearned runs in the second inning on three hits and an error. Phillips reached on an error to start the inning and advanced on a walk to Thomas. Charles Schultz laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, and Mike Turjanica brought home Phillips with a sacrifice fly. Josh Page then singled home Thomas and later scored on a bunt single by Brandon Caipen.
YSU got two more across in the third when Schultz singled home Phillips and Turjanica knocked in Thomas with another sacrifice fly.
Amin Abusaleh hit a two-run single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third to get the Raiders within 5-2, and Brendan Rubenstein hit an RBI double in the fifth to make it 5-3.
Josh Wells, Matt Gnacinski and Libeg teamed up to keep the Raiders scoreless for the next three innings.
The Raiders loaded the bases with one out in the ninth after collecting two hits and a walk off Libeg, but the junior reliever induced back-to-back ground balls that led to fielder's choices to preserve the win. YSU plays host to Ohio Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Eastwood Field.
Softball
FAIRBORN -- Freshman Becky Hibner's two-out triple in the top of the eighth inning scored Sarah Conklin and broke a 4-4 tie and lifted Youngstown State (18-30, 4-12 Horizon League) past Wright State (14-17, 6-7), 5-4, Sunday.
Conklin led off the frame with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and moved to third on Bethany Hafley's ground out before scoring on Hibner's hit.
The Raiders led 1-0 before YSU scored two runs in the second. Freshman Shauna Barry and junior Tiffany Patteson each hit run-scoring singles. Wright State regained the lead, 4-2, with a three-run second inning. Leading off the sixth, freshman McKenzie Bedra, who went 3-for-3, homered to cut the deficit to 4-3. Hafley and Hibner, who went 3-for-4, followed with singles and Shauna Barry's sacrifice fly scored Hafley with the tying run.
Sophomore Tricia Hilbish pitched five innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win, allowing just three hits, and Ashley Lockmiller tossed a perfect eighth for her second save. The Penguins play host to Cleveland State Tuesday at 4 p.m. at McCune Park.
LOCAL
Wildcats win
STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. -- Struthers High graduate Rick McFadden had 30 points, eight rebounds and four assists as the Mahoning Valley Wildcats finished a 3-0 road trip under new coach Andre Smith with a 142-115 win over Macomb County Sunday.
Former YSU standout TeJay Anderson provided a spark off the bench, scoring 21 points and dishing out three assists for the Wildcats (6-1), who set a team record for points in a game.
A.C. Crockett added 20 points and 10 assists, Joe Lewandowski had 17 points and Robbie Robinson had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Jason McGowan led Macomb County (0-7) with 22 points.
Mahoning County will play host to Dayton at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Struthers Fieldhouse.
Mooney Open
YOUNGSTOWN -- The 28th Cardinal Mooney Amateur Open Golf Tournament will be held June 13 at Fonderlac Country Club.
The entry fee is $85 and there will be two shotgun starts at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. There will be an individual scratch champion as well as winners in A, B and C divisions.
The entry fee includes 18 holes of golf, riding cart, prizes and banquet, which will be catered by Legends of Fonderlac.
All proceeds go to Cardinal Mooney High School. Entry deadline is June 3 and entries or information should be sent to Roy Nard at Cardinal Mooney High School, 2545 Erie St., Youngstown, 44507.
Phantoms' O'Brienhonored by NAHL
BOARDMAN -- Youngstown Phantoms goaltender Tom O'Brien received the North American Hockey League's Academic Achievement Award, awarded to the league's most outstanding student-athlete.
"Tommy personifies the ideal student-athlete. He's very dedicated to his studies, and he serves as a great example for academic excellence. We are very proud of his accomplishments," said Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt.
Vindicator staff reports