YOUNGSTOWN STATE Wednesday's notes

Softball: Freshman Kristen McDonnell, who went 2-for-3, tied the Youngstown State single-season home run record when she blasted her 10th home run of the season in a 4-3 loss to Akron in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader at Lee Jackson Field in Akron. McDonnell tied the record set by Liz Holt in 2003. With the Penguins trailing 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning, McDonnell's two-out home run brought the Penguins within one, 3-2, and her double in the top of the seventh scored Tiffany Patteson and tied the game at 3-3. Akron, however, scored an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh to pull out the 4-3 win. Freshman Tasha Hess was the hard-luck loser for YSU, tossing 6-and-2/3 innings and not allowing an earned run. Patteson went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. The Penguins dropped the first game, 6-0. Freshman Allyse Ledford collected three of the Penguins' seven hits. YSU concludes the regular season with a three-game series against Loyola beginning Saturday at 2 p.m.
Volleyball: A home match against Big Ten member Ohio State, a nonleague road contest at West Virginia and four in-season tournaments highlight the 2006 Youngstown State volleyball schedule. "My vision of this program is to take it to a national level and playing schools such as Dayton and Ohio State; it allows our players to see where the coaching staff has been and where it wants to take this program," YSU coach Joe Bonner said. The Penguins open the 2006 campaign with three matches at the Dayton Tournament on Aug. 25-26. Youngstown State begins the tournament against Dayton at 7 p.m. Aug. 25 and face IUPUI and Southern Illinois on Aug. 26 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively. YSU heads to the Empire State for the Western New York Invitational where it faces Canisius, Buffalo and Fordham on Sept. 1-2. After a midweek nonleague match against Akron on Sept. 5, the Penguins play four matches in two days at the Navy Chesapeake Challenge on Sept. 8-9. YSU opens the tourney against LaSalle and Providence on Friday at noon and 4 p.m., respectively. On Saturday, the Penguins take on Navy at 9 a.m. and an undetermined opponent. The home portion of the schedule commences when the Penguins entertain the Ohio State Buckeyes on Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. The Penguins continue their homestand when they host the 2006 YSU Tournament, Sept. 15-16, in Beeghly Center. YSU will play four matches in two days beginning with a match up against Mid-American Conference member Bowling Green. It marks the first time since 1997 that the Penguins and Falcons will square off. YSU also faces Morehead State on Friday evening at 7 p.m. and St. Francis and Duquesne on Saturday at 1 and 7 p.m., respectively. Youngstown State opens Horizon League play on the road against UW-Milwaukee on Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. and UW-Green Bay, Sept. 23 at 5 p.m. After returning home to host UIC and Loyola, Sept. 29-30, the Penguins hit the road to face Wright State and Butler on Oct. 6-7. The Penguins close out the first half of the Horizon League slate at home against Cleveland State on Oct. 13. YSU plays its last nonleague match against West Virginia Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. in Morgantown, W.Va., before starting the last half of the league schedule. Wright State University will host the 2006 Horizon League Volleyball Championship, Nov. 16-18, in Dayton.