YSU softball loses 2 to RMU

Special to The Vindicator

Moon Township, Pa.

Youngstown State received solid starting pitching performances from senior Cheryl Cale and freshmen Hana Somogyi and Kayla Vallery but the Penguins dropped a pair of games to Robert Morris, 3-2, in eight innings and 4-3 on Wednesday afternoon.

The Penguins fell to 6-17 while the Colonials improved to 10-12.

Cale scatted seven hits in 72‚Ñ3 innings pitched and struck out four in a tough-luck loss. After allowing two runs in the bottom of the first, Cale gave up just two hits and did not allow a runner past second base until the top of the eighth inning.

The Penguins tied the game with two unearned runs in the top of the third inning. Haley Thomas and Kristina Rendle both singled and then scored on an error by Robert Morris.

The Colonials won the contest on Annie Dubavec’s two-out single to right field in the bottom of the eighth which scored Jaci Timko.

In the nightcap, Thomas, sophomore Jordan Ingalls and senior Autumn Grove each tallied two hits but the Penguins could not overcome the Colonials’ early lead.

Robert Morris plated two runs in the bottom of the third inning but the Penguins rallied with two of their own in the top of the fourth. Grove singled and Kristen Philen reached on an error then a single by Amanda Palmore plated Grove and Philen scored on Thomas’ fielder’s choice.

The Colonials added two more in the bottom half of the fourth and Kim Klonowski’s run-scoring double in the top of the sixth scored Thomas, who doubled, to get the Penguins within one, 4-3. YSU would not get any closer.

The Penguins play host Butler in their Horizon League opener, Saturday at 1 p.m. at McCune Park.