Antush guides YSU’s sweep

By Pete Mollica

The assistant filled in for skipper Rich Pasquale against UW-Milwaukee.

NILES — It’s been 10 years since Craig Antush was a manager, but the ninth-year Youngstown State assistant had little trouble remembering the ropes Sunday afternoon at Eastwood Field.

With Antush filling in for coach Rich Pasquale, the Penguins swept a doubleheader from UW-Milwaukee, 10-9 in 10 innings in the opener and 10-3 in the nightcap.

Pasquale was attending his son’s first communion.

YSU pulled out the win in the opener, first with a ninth-inning home run by Tom Clayton to tie the game and then a game-winning RBI single by Cory Hornyak in the bottom of the 10th.

The Penguins (16-22, 8-5 Horizon League) didn’t need those kind of heroics in the nightcap as they jumped out to a 5-3 lead and broke the game open with a five-run eighth inning.

“It’s been a while since I’m had to call all the shots,” said Antush, who was head coach at Marshall from 1996-98. “The first game was a slugfest that we managed to pull out, while we got some good pitching in the second game and sometimely hitting and then the big eighth inning.”

The first game featured 33 hits and the lead changed hands just about every half inning through the first five innings.

The contest was tied 8-8 through eight innings when the Panthers (12-24, 5-8) scored the go-ahead run without a hit in the top of the ninth.

The Penguins’ third pitcher, senior Ryan Sellman, hit the first two batters before sophomore Eric Marzec got the call from right field. Marzec (2-1) allowed a sacrifice bunt and then an intentional walk to load the bases before walking in the go-ahead run.

The Penguins were down to their final out in the bottom of the ninth when Antush brought in Clayton to pinch hit. He worked the count to 2-1, then hit an opposite field shot to left that carried over the fence to tie the game.

After Marzec worked his way out of a jam in the top of the 10th, the Penguins rallied with one out. Sean Lucas was hit by a pitch and went third on two wild pitches.

Erich Diedrich and Joe Iacobucci were both walked intentionally to load the bases, then Hornyak followed by drilling a single up the middle.

Clayton, who has been used primarily as a pinch hitter and designated hitter, was ready for his big moment.

“I had gone to the batting cage a couple of innings before to loosen up and was ready when I was called on,” he said. “I went up there looking for a fastball and I got one. I hit it pretty good and it went out.”

Hornyak also hit a fastball for his game-winner.

“I knew that I needed to hit it somewhere deep to get that run in and when I saw the fastball coming I just went after it hard and got it good. It really felt great,” he added.

Senior Adam Kalafos (4-3) had a much better time on the mound in the second game.

He gave up a first inning leadoff home run to Andy Gerhartz, but then went 5 1/3 innings without allowing another run. He struck out seven and walked two while scattering six hits.

The game was tied 1-1 for five innings as Kalafos and Milwaukee starter Jordan Herbert locked horns on the mound.

YSU broke it open in the sixth with three runs on three hits, including an RBI triple by Marzec, a sacrifice fly by Iacobucci and a wild pitch.

The Penguins batted around in the eighth as they scored five runs on four hits. Redshirt freshman Jason Reittenbach had a two-run single and C.J. Morris added an RBI double.

Sophomore Anthony Porter had a big afternoon as he went 4-for-5 in the opener and added a double and two runs in the second game. Diedrich had two hits in both games and a pair of RBIs, while Iacobucci had three hits in the opener.

The Penguins play at Penn State Wednesday at 5:35 p.m., then visit Cleveland State Friday and Saturday for a three-game series, with a doubleheader the second day.

mollica@vindy.com