NOTEBOOK YSU vs. Michigan

Highlights: Karlie Burnell may have taken the loss in Friday's NCAA regional opener against Michigan, but the Youngstown State junior pitcher took away something to hang her visor on. With two outs in the third inning of Friday's 4-0 loss to the defending national champion Wolverines, Burnell got sophomore first baseman Samantha Findlay to swing and miss with a full count. Findlay led the NCAA in RBIs as a freshman and was named the Women's College World Series' Most Outstanding Player after hitting a three-run home run in the 10th inning of the Championship Series' deciding game to give Michigan the victory. She is one of the most talked about sluggers in the college game, but Burnell can say she struck her out. "Oh yeah," she said with a big smile. "That was pretty good." Burnell had already gotten Findlay to line out to third baseman Lacey Hess in the first inning and walked her in the fifth. Burnell also retired first team All-American second baseman Tiffany Haas to fly out to center-fielder Bethany Hafley in three out of four at-bats.We meet again: Today's 2:30 p.m. game against Kent State marks the fourth meeting between the Youngstown State and the Golden Flashes. Kent State beat the Penguins, 12-5, in Columbus on March 18, then swept a doubleheader in Youngstown on April 18. The Penguins are playing better now, Coach Christy Cameron said, and they're doing well in the things that hurt them in the three previous games with Kent State. "We're playing well defensively and we're getting the good pitching now," Cameron said. "We're looking forward to the game."
Corey Roepken