YSU SOFTBALL Burnell pitches Penguins past Illinois-Chicago

Youngstown State backed her with six extra base hits in the 5-0 win.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANFIELD -- Junior Karlie Burnell knows there's a lot more pressure on her and the other Youngstown State pitchers this season.
The Penguins lost senior veteran pitcher Kelly Murphy early in the season with a hand injury and she won't pitch again this year.
Saturday, Burnell shook off some of that pressure and pitched the Penguins to a 5-0 victory over Illinois-Chicago to salvage one game of the three-game series in a Horizon League contest at McCune Park.
The Brampton, Ontario, native had to pitch her way out of several jams against the Flames.
Murphy (6-3) was a freshman sensation with the Penguins in 2003, earning Horizon League pitcher of the Year honors and setting a YSU record for wins (22) and strikeouts (179).
She first injured her finger on her throwing hand during the Horizon League tournament that season and struggled through the next two seasons. She was 14-12 as a sophomore and 8-9 as a junior. This year she made only two appearances and was 0-1.
"It's put a lot more pressure on us [pitching staff] without Kelly," said Burnell. "She's meant so much to YSU softball over the years. I know when I came up I always looked up to her."
Complete game
Burnell went the distance against the Flames, allowing nine hits while striking out three and walking four, but was tough when she needed to be.
"I had some great support behind me and we continued to hit the ball well on offense," she said. "It wasn't easy, but we managed to get the win, which was a big one."
Burnell pitched 6 2/3 innings in Friday's opener of the doubleheader and allowed just two runs against the Flames in 13 2/3 innings.
"It's not like I'm overworked or anything," she said. "There's really no pressure on my arm and I've done it many times."
Illinois-Chicago (17-25, 8-3 Horizon) had runners in scoring position in five of the seven innings, but Burnell managed to get out of every jam.
Pitched out of trouble
She had the bases loaded with one out in the first inning, but struck out the next batter and got the final out on a pop-up. She also had runners on first and third with one out in the seventh, but got out of the inning for the victory.
YSU head coach Christy Cameron was pleased with the team's effort following Saturday's doubleheader loss to the Flames.
"We played better and we didn't make those little mistakes that were so costly on Saturday," Cameron said.
Offensively, the Penguins (11-14, 6-4 Horizon) had nine hits, including six for extra bases against the Flames.
YSU also loaded the bases in the first inning with one out but also failed to score.
In the third inning, senior Tiffany Patteson, who was honored before the game along with senior Lacey Hess on Senior Day, led off with a double down the left field line.
Sophomore Becky Hibner followed with a triple down the right field line scoring Patteson and Hibner scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman catcher Kristen McDonnell for a 2-0 lead.
McDonnell adds homer
In the fifth, the Penguins added another run on McDonnell's sixth home run of the season over the center field fence.
YSU closed out the scoring with two runs in the sixth when, with one out, sophomore Beth Hafley and senior Lacy Bronson had back-to-back doubles and Hess followed with an RBI single.
Patteson, McDonnell and Bronson all had two hits for the Penguins. Both of Bronson's hits were doubles.
The Penguins play a doubleheader against Kent State on Tuesday at McCune Park beginning at 3 p.m.