YSU’s freshman catcher makes right calls

By Pete Mollica

The YSU baseball team took two out of three games from Cleveland State this weekend.

NILES — About halfway through Sunday’s Youngstown State Horizon League baseball game with Cleveland State, Penguins head coach Rich Pasquale had a question for pitching coach Tom Lipari.

Watching freshman catcher Jonathan Crist make his first conference start, Pasquale asked, “Is he calling all the pitches?”

Lipari quickly answered, “He is and doing a better job than I would have.”

With Crist calling the pitches and sophomore starter Phil Klein and junior reliever Eric Marzec throwing them, the Penguins completely throttled the Vikings in a 1-0 victory that game them a 2-1 edge in the weekend series at Eastwood Field.

YSU (9-21, 6-6 Horizon) got seven strong innings out of Klein (2-1). Marzec retired the final six Vikings to preserve a 1-0 lead that the Penguins had taken in the second inning.

“It is just so great to be at home again, especially when you are at home in the conference series like this one this week,” Pasquale said. “We got great pitching once again today and I thought Jonathan [Crist] did just an outstanding job in just his first start in a conference game.”

Not only did the freshman from Scottsdale, Ariz., call the entire game, but he also made two decisive putouts at home plate in the seventh inning to help preserve the win. He also had two of the Penguins’ six hits off losing pitcher Brian Long who went all nine innings for the Vikings allowing just the one run.

Crist had nothing but praise for his two pitchers.

“They were unbelievable today” Crist said. “They threw everything just where I asked them to throw it and they were in complete control of all their pitches.”’

“It felt good being back there today,” Crist said. “I got my first hit Saturday since early in the season, so I was really looking forward to starting today. I just love playing in the ball park and I love to see our pitchers pitch in this big park.”

Klein, who won for the second straight game, went seven innings, allowing five hits, walking three and had a career-high eight strikeouts.

“I really felt great today, better than I did last week and I had great control of my pitches,” Klein said. “Cleveland State is the type of team that if you don’t keep them off the bases they will drive you crazy with bunts and squeezes like they did Saturday. But we were able took keep them off the bases today and that was the difference.”

Marzec, who recorded his second save of the season, actually had some time in the bottom of the seventh inning to get to the bullpen and warm up a little. He struck out three of the final six batters and didn’t allow a ball to be hit out of the infield.’

Of the five hits off Klein, two were infield singles and one was a double that outfielder Derek Carr lost in the sun in the first inning.

The Penguins scored all they needed in the second inning when sophomore Joe Iacobucci led off with a double down the right field line. Freshman Carr then reached on an infield single to shortstop with Iacobucci taking third. One out later, junior C.J. Morris grounded out to second base scoring Iacobucci.

The top big defensive plays by Crist came in the seventh as Alex Johnson led off with a double to left and went to third on a ground out.

Kyle Shaffer walked and when Josh Federico tried to squeeze bunt him home, Kline made a great play throwing to Crist who was blocking the plate to get the Johnson out.

Brad Buell hit a grounder up the middle, but second baseman David Leon knocked it down. When Shaffer tried to score from second, he fired home. Crist made another great play nailing Shaffer before he could reach the plate.

The Penguins will be in action Tuesday when they play at Kent State in a 3 p.m. contest. They return home on Wednesday to play Duquesne in a 3 p.m. game at Cene Park.