Delay no problem for YSU

The Penguins defeated Detroit 12-3 to advance to today's second round against seventh-seeded Wright State.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANFIELD -- The Youngstown State softball team might have been the only one who enjoyed Thursday's four-hour rain delay in the opening round of the Horizon League Softball Tournament at McCune Park.
And if the opening game results had anything to do with the delay, the Penguins are hoping for more delays today and Saturday.
The sixth-seeded Penguins (19-25) scored 11 runs in the first three innings against third seeded Detroit and put the Titans away 12-3 in five innings to advance to today's second round.
The Penguins are scheduled to play today at 11 a.m. against No. 7 seed Wright State, which upset No. 2 seed Cleveland State 6-3.
Putting it together
Thursday, the Penguins put it all together with pitching, defense and good hitting. Make that really good hitting.
In the first three innings, the Penguins plated 11 runs on 11 hits and sent 26 batters to the plate. They also set a school record with four home runs during that three-inning rally.
Sophomore McKenzie Bedra tied a school record by hitting home runs in each of the first two innings. Freshman Allyse Ledford gave the Penguins back-to-back round trippers as she followed Bedra with a solo blast in the second. Sophomore Jamie Fornal added a two-run homer in the third.
Senior Tiffany Patteson, who was three-for-three with a sacrifice and scored two runs, wasn't at all surprised by the Penguins production.
"We've been waiting for this week all season long," Patteson said. "We were surprised that we got Detroit in the first place, but we knew they were in for a rough day. The key was jumping on them right off the bat."
Up next
Now, the Penguins have to play Wright State, a team that they beat twice in the regular season.
"One thing about Wright State is that they will be here ready to play," Patteson said. "I know because they knocked us out of the tournament in my freshman and sophomore seasons. They are always tournament ready."
All three of Patteson's hits, two doubles and a single, were to the opposite field.
"I haven't been seeing too many inside pitches lately, but hopefully I get to see some tomorrow," she said. "But I'll take them no matter where they end up."
YSU head coach Christy Cameron wasn't surprised about the Penguins performance.
"All that we really can control is going out and playing sound defensively and situation hitting and when you get that situation hitting, getting the bunts down, the home runs and everything else just fall into place," Cameron said.
"The same way with defense -- if you make the routine plays then the great defensive plays will take care of themselves," she said.
Good start
Patteson led off the game with a bloop double down the right-field line and was sacrificed to second by Becky Hibner.
After Kristen McDonnell struck out, Fornal singled to left, scoring Patteson. Bedra followed with a blast over the left field wall and a 3-0 lead.
In the second, Lacy Hess doubled to lead off and Patteson sacrificed her to third. Hibner reached on an error scoring Hess and McDonald singled to right.
After Fornal struck out, Bedra pounded her second straight homer over the left-field fence to give her five RBIs. Ledford followed Bedra with another homer to left and a 8-0 lead.
In the third, Patteson singled to lead off and Hibner walked. With one out, Fornal hit a three-run homer to left-center field to expand the lead to 11-1.
The Penguins added a solo run in the fifth on a double by Fornal, a single by Bedra and a sacrifice fly by Ledford
Junior pitcher Karlie Burnell pitched four and one-third innings and allowed just three hits. She was taken out in the fifth inning because she had to take a final exam. Junior Tricia Hilbush finished up, giving up a two-run double before striking out the final two batters.
"It was almost 5 p.m. and Karlie had a final at 5:30. Her parents were waiting to take her to her exam," Cameron said.
mollica@vindy.com