Penguins beat Butler with big third inning

Youngstown State scored seven runs in the inning for a 10-6 victory.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Youngstown State baseball coach Mike Florak wasn't happy with the Penguins following Saturday's doubleheader split with Butler University.
Florak was a lot happier Sunday, but not until the bottom of the third inning, as the Penguins rallied from a 5-0 deficit to post a 10-6 victory over the Bulldogs.
In the top of the third the Penguins gave up five runs on four hits, three errors and a hit batsman.
Asked if he was concerned after that display, Florak responded, "I don't think 'concerned' was the word to describe my feelings at that moment.
"We made some mental mistakes and some fielding mistakes and we just didn't play well in that inning," Florak said.
Penguins answer back
But the Penguins responded to the challenge and in the bottom of the third they scored seven runs on seven hits to take a lead they never relinquished. And they did it all with two outs.
"We had some people step up in that inning and we hit the ball very well. I was pleased with the way they battled back," Florak said.
Senior Justin Banks, who had three hits, and senior Brandon Caipen, who added two hits and two key RBIs in the eighth inning, agreed that the seniors needed to step up and get things rolling.
"We got together after the top of the third inning and talked it out and then went out and had a great inning and all after two outs," said Banks.
"We knew the coach wasn't at all pleased with our play at that time and we knew that we just had to step up and get it going," added Caipen.
Big games ahead
The Penguins (19-25, 10-11) remain in fourth place in the Horizon League standings, but they have two big series coming up -- this weekend with first-place Illinois-Chicago, and next weekend with third-place UW-Milwaukee. All six games against those two teams are at Eastwood Field.
"When you look at the whole picture we still have almost 25 percent of the season ahead of us and if we can continue to play like we did today we should be OK," Florak said.
The Penguins have non-league games Tuesday with Ohio University and Wednesday with Kent State, both at Eastwood Field. Tuesday's game is at 6 p.m. and Wednesday's at 7 p.m.
Butler (16-27, 9-15) sent 11 batters to the plate in the third inning and was helped out by three YSU errors, two by freshman third baseman John Koehnlein, to take a 5-0 lead.
Opened with two outs
The Penguins started the bottom of the third slowly as the first two batters made outs, but the next seven hitters all reached safely, six with hits, as they sent 13 batters to the plate.
Sophomore Josh Page started the rally with a double to right and Koehnlein doubled him home for the first run. After Caipen walked sophomore Erich Diedrich doubled home two runs, Banks followed with an RBI single and junior Brent Parks doubled to right-center. With runners on second and third, junior Lou Gattozzi singled home both runners and after senior Dustin Thomas was hit by a pitch, senior Charles Schultz doubled home two more runs.
Senior Brian Boone (2-2) survived the third inning and pitched into the seventh to get the win. He struck out seven and was responsible for all six Butler runs.
Butler closes lead
The Bulldogs made the score 7-6 in the seventh after Boone hit Stephen Gill. Josh Wells replaced Boone and threw a wild pitch to send Gill to second and he went to third on a ground out. Ricky Chomicz walked, then allowed himself to get caught in a rundown with Gill scoring.
The Penguins loaded the bases with one out in the eighth and Caipen lashed a two-run single to right-center, then Banks drove in the final run with a single up the middle.
Sophomore Ryan Sellman pitched out of the eighth and had a perfect ninth inning for his fourth save.
mollica@vindy.com