YSU defeats Butler to open Horizon play

Staff report

Indianapolis

Starting pitcher Aaron Swenson threw seven strong innings and got all the support he needed in the first two frames as the Youngstown State baseball team defeated Butler 12-2 on Friday in the Horizon League opener for both teams.

Swenson (4-0) remained undefeated and picked up his fourth win for the Penguins (9-8) in five starts. He held the Bulldogs (6-12) to one run on four hits while striking out 10 batters.

Joe Iacobucci’s two-run home run in the first inning provided Swenson with an early cushion, and the Penguins went ahead 9-1 after a five-run fourth. Iacobucci was one of four YSU players with two hits and one of three to drive in at least two runs. He also threw out a runner at the plate from left field to end the third inning when Butler cut the score to 4-1.

“I can’t give Swenson enough credit for his performance out there today,” YSU head coach Rich Pasquale said. “He did a tremendous job in every inning. Offensively, we were able to come up with key base hits all day. We played good, clean baseball all nine innings, and we need to keep that going. We didn’t come out here for just one win.”

After Iacobucci’s two-run blast to right put YSU up 2-0 in the first, C.J. Morris singled in Zac McFarland in the second with what ended being the final run that YSU would need.

Casey Holland’s RBI single in the third brought in Iacobucci, and YSU erupted for five runs on four hits in the fourth to go ahead 9-1. Four of those runs were unearned as reliever Billy Laing misplayed a ball back to the mound hit by the first batter he faced.

Jacke Healey hit an RBI double, and Jeremy Banks hit a two-run double in the seventh as the Penguins took a 12-1 advantage. Grant Fillipitch hit a solo home run in the eighth for the final tally.

Jared Wagoner suffered the loss for Butler, allowing seven runs on six hits in 3.1 innings. Laing allowed five runs on six hits in 4.2 innings of relief.