Penguins tie home run mark in 13-5 defeat

VALPARAISO, Ind. — Senior McKenzie Bedra and freshman Rochelle tied the Youngstown State single-season home run record, but the Penguins softball team (11-31, 5-14 Horizon League) dropped a 13-5 decision to Valparaiso (29-15, 11-4) Sunday.

Bedra and Vanyi both hit their 10th home runs of the season and tied the mark set by Liz Holt (2003) and tied by junior Kristen McDonnell (2006).

The Penguins also set the team season record with 36 home runs and tied the single-game home run mark with four.

McDonnell and freshman Katy Potokar also homered Sunday.

Bedra and McDonnell hit back-to-back two-out home runs in the top of the first inning to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead.

Rochelle Vanyi led off the game with a single to left-center field and scored on Bedra’s two-run blast.

The Crusaders knotted the score at 3 in the bottom of the first.

Potokar gave the Penguins a 4-3 edge with her fourth home run of the season in the third inning.

The Crusaders scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-4 lead.

Vanyi led off the top of the fifth inning with her home run to make it 8-5, but the Crusaders added two runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth.

YSU travels to Pittsburgh Tuesday at 2 p.m.