Local players help lead CSU past Penguins

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Cleveland State's baseball team came to Eastwood Field Tuesday with the worst record in the Horizon League, but the Vikings left feeling a whole lot better than when they came.
Sparked by the play of four Mahoning Valley standouts, the Vikings (4-21, 3-8 Horizon) swept a doubleheader from Youngstown State by scores of 7-5 and 11-5.
It was a very disappointing effort for the Penguins, who fell to 12-19, 4-7 Horizon.
Former Boardman standout Marc Sikora, a junior rightfielder, had two hits and drove in three runs for the Vikings in the opening win. Freshman pitcher Jeremy Hartman of Austintown pitched the final 12/3 innings to record the save for starter Brandon Hewitt.
In the second game, Vasili Pahoulis of Howland drove in three runs while Canfield standout Josh Geric had a two-run single and Sikora added another RBI with a double.
Pitching problem
Pitching was the main problem for the Penguins, or the lack of it.
YSU used four pitchers in the opener with senior Brian Boone going the first four and allowing just one run, but relievers Josh Wells and Kevin Libeg struggled in the Cleveland State seventh inning when the Vikings scored five runs and took the lead for keeps.
In the second game, starter Chris Dennis was tagged for six runs and seven hits, while relievers Andy Svitak and Joe Antinone also weren't able to stop the Vikings.
YSU head coach Mike Florak was completely stumped by the Penguins' performance.
"I wish I could tell you what the problem was, but I really don't know," Florak said. "I know it was disappointing, very disappointing."
Boone allowed just one run in the first inning of the opener, while the Penguins staked him to a 5-1 advantage scoring single runs in each of the first three innings and then plating two more in the fifth, sparked by a double from Justin Banks.
Wells started the seventh inning, but after walking the first two batters, Florak brought in Libeg.
Blows lead
Libeg allowed three hits and walked two more and ended up giving up five runs, two of them charged to Wells and blew the Penguins' five-run lead.
Sikora had a two-run single in that big inning while Pahoulis also drove in a run with a single.
"We are not as bad as our record," Sikora said. "This team has a lot of talent, but we just haven't be able to get anything going this year. Maybe this will start us off in the right direction.
"I love playing here, especially because all our friends and family can come and watch," Sikora said.
In the second game, the Penguins jumped out to a 2-1 advantage, scoring twice in the fourth inning on four singles.
The Vikings came back with five runs in the fifth and were never threatened again.
Cleveland State had three doubles in the inning, one by Pahoulis.
They increased their lead to 7-2 in the fifth and added two more in the eighth inning and two in the ninth.
Plenty of doubles
The Vikings had seven doubles in the contest and three more by the Penguins, for 10 total in the contest.
YSU freshman John Koehnlein led the way with five hits in the twinbill, three in the nightcap while Josh Page also had three hits in the second game.
The Penguins will step out of league play today to play a single game at Kent State University at 3 p.m.
They will then spend the weekend in Wisconsin with a doubleheader Saturday at UW-Milwaukee at 2 p.m. and a single game Sunday.
mollica@vindy.com