YSU softball No. 8 seed in tourney

The Penguins play Illinois-Chicago in the first round Thursday.

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State softball team begins Horizon League tournament play Thursday against Illinois-Chicago.

The tournament is hosted by Loyola of Chicago.

The Penguins (12-35, 6-16 HL) are the eighth seed in the tournament and will play UIC (22-31, 12-9), the No. 5 seed, Thursday at noon in the double-elimination tournament.

Youngstown State has played the Flames in the tournament three straight years, winning three of four games. The Penguins beat UIC twice in the 2006 Horizon tournament at McCune Park to claim the championship and automatic NCAA tournament berth.

If YSU wins its opening-round game it would play again Thursday night against No. 2 seed Valparaiso. If the Penguins lose to UIC they return Friday morning for an elimination game against either No. 6 Wisconsin-Green Bay or No. 7 Butler.

Youngstown State has been led offensively this season by senior McKenzie Bedra and freshman Rochelle Vanyi. Both have hit a school-record 11 home runs, and Bedra, who is batting .338, has 32 RBIs and a .646 slugging percentage, the fourth-best mark in school history.

In 2006, Bedra batted .700 in the tournament with five home runs to lead the Penguins to the championship.

Vanyi is just the second player in school history to collect double digits in both home runs and doubles (10) in the same season. Vanyi’s .630 slugging percentage ranks sixth in school history.

Freshman Kim Klonowski is batting .393 with four doubles over her last 11 plate appearances, while freshman Katy Potokar is batting .367 (11-for-30) with three home runs, seven runs scored and seven RBIs over the last 10 games.

Sophomore Cheryl Cale is expected to start at pitcher for the Penguins. After losing her first four decisions of the season, Cale has posted an 8-5 record with a 4.28 ERA since April 1. In her last nine decisions, Cale is 5-4 with a 2.81 ERA, and earned her first career shutout with a 1-0, three-hit win over Butler April 19.