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Penguins fall to Kent State 5-2
By JON MOFFETT
Niles
The Youngstown State baseball team has been running like a well-oiled machine all season with its high-octane offense to drive it forward.
But against Kent State on Tuesday, the team seemed to run out of gas.
The Penguins had just five hits in a 5-2 loss at Eastwood Field. Coach Rich Pasquale said it was a combination of cold bats and a good effort by the opposing pitchers.
“Their pitching staff is obviously very good, and well-coached,” he said. “But there were a couple of guys in there that I thought we could maybe jump on, but we just didn’t do it.”
The game resembled a classic pitchers’ duel for the first few innings. The teams combined for just four hits and one run through five innings.
That run, scored by Kent State junior right fielder Ben Klafczynski, gave the Golden Flashes (25-8) a lead they never surrendered.
The Penguins (19-20, 7-6 Horizon League) played solid defense behind starting pitcher Cody Dearth. But a lack of firepower prohibited the Penguins.
Dearth (1-4) allowed three hits and one earned run in four innings. He struck out four consecutive batters and walked one.
The only problem for Dearth was the trio of hits he surrendered came in key situations. Klafczynski singled and came around to score on a groundout by shortstop Jimmy Rider.
“Our pitchers hit just a little bit too much of the plate at the wrong times,” Pasquale said. “That can’t happen this late in the season. They’re just getting too much of the plate when they don’t need to. It’s fine when no one’s on base, but when there’s guys on base, it hurts you.”
What hurt the Penguins more was the fizzle that replaced the boom from their bats. Boardman native Joe Iacobucci was the only player with multiple hits for the Penguins, with three.
“I just feel really good right now, and I’m just trying to stay in the same routine and stay focused on the pitches I can hit,” Iacobucci, a junior, said.
Other locals also had big days. Kent State had seven Mahoning Valley natives on its roster. Three of them, relief pitcher David Wright, of Salem, catcher Jason Bagoly, of Austintown, and infielder Evan Campbell, of West Branch, played in Tuesday’s game.
Wright, who attended Salem High, pitched one inning of relief and struck out two batters. Bagoly, who graduated from Fitch High, had a hit in three plate appearances.
And Campbell had a hit and an RBI.
Since Tuesday’s game was out of conference, Pasquale said it’s a good learning tool for this weekend’s series against conference rival Wright State. But Pasquale said a home loss is always disappointing.
The Penguins are 8-11 at home, a number Pasquale said is very concerning.
“I just don’t know how you don’t play as well at home,” he said. “I don’t get it. Maybe we’re better on the road.”
The Penguins travel to Akron today for a 3 p.m. game against the Zips. The team will then return to Eastwood for its final home series.
Friday will feature a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. and another game Saturday at noon.
“This weekend is important, just as last weekend [vs. Butler] was important,” Pasquale said.