PENGUIN BASEBALL YSU drops twinbill to Kent

The Penguins blew a 4-1 lead in the opener, losing 5-4 in nine innings.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Youngstown State's baseball team couldn't get the killer instinct Sunday in a doubleheader loss to Kent State at Eastwood Field.
The Penguins had the Golden Flashes on the ropes in the opener before losing 5-4 in nine innings, then YSU rallied to tie the nightcap only to see the Flashes win 5-3.
Kent State (30-16) won three of four games played over two days, splitting a twinbill in Kent Saturday.
Missed opportunity
The Penguins (25-18) blew a 4-1 lead in the opener, then had a chance to win it in the eighth inning, but couldn't push across a run after loading the bases with one out.
Kent State (30-16) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Joe Tucker reached on an infield single with one out, moved to second on a ground out, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Drew Saylor's single to center.
YSU tied the score in the second when redshirt freshman catcher Erich Diedrich ripped a home run to right-center.
The Penguins made it 3-1 in the fourth when Justin Banks led off with a double to right. He was sacrificed to third by Jim Phillips and scored on Diedrich's RBI single. Diedrich then stole second and scored on Charles Schultz's single.
YSU's final run came in the fifth when Brent Parks doubled with one out and scored on Banks' single to right.
Five solid innings
Penguins starter Eric Shaffer had the Flashes under control for most of the 51/3 innings he pitched. He gave up a triple to Will Vazquez leading off the second, but Diedrich picked him off third and Shaffer struck out the next two batters.
In the fifth Shaffer allowed a leadoff single to Emmanuel Burris, but got Tucker to ground into a force out. He then gave up an RBI double to Andrew Davis.
Kevin Libeg relieved and gave up an RBI single to Kurt Eichorn before getting out of the inning with a 4-3 lead.
In the seventh Libeg allowed a leadoff single to former South Range standout Greg Rohan and then threw a wild pitch.
After Josh Wells came into pitch, pinch-hitter Eric Holick dropped a sacrifice bunt and reached on a fielder's choice with Rohan beating the throw to third.
Michael Obyc then hit into a 4-6-3 double play as Rohan scored to tie the game.
In the eighth YSU loaded the bases with one out as Phillips opened the inning with a double to left. After Diedrich was intentionally walked, Schultz looped a single to center, and pinch-runner Sean Lucas was held at third. The throw was well over the catcher's head, but Lucas couldn't score.
Junior pinch-hitter Brian Caipen was called out on strikes and Josh Page flied out to right to end the inning.
In the top of the ninth, reliever Ryan Sellman hit Eichorn to lead off the inning and after one out, walked Rohan.
Pinch-hitter Gregg Hiller blooped a single to center scoring Eichorn with what proved to be the winning run.
Penguins rally to tie
Both teams scored a run in the first inning of game two before Kent State pulled ahead 3-1 with a run in the second and another in the fourth. The Penguins tied the score in the bottom of the fourth when Mike Turjanica singled home Schultz and later scored on a balk.
The Golden Flashes scored two runs on three hits off Brian Boone in the sixth for the final tally.
The Penguins will break for finals before traveling to Illinois-Chicago for a four-game series.
The Flames (29-17-1) are third in the Horizon League (10-6). YSU (7-1) is in first place and UW-Milwaukee (9-4) is second.