YSU makes history in split

Staff report

Valparaiso

Junior pitcher Bryce Shafer held the Youngstown State baseball team to three runs on six hits in eight innings, and Valparaiso had 20 hits to win 14-3 in game two of Friday’s doubleheader at Emory G. Bauer Field. YSU won game one 15-5.

Youngstown State seniors Aaron Swenson and Jacke Healey both broke school record in game one.

Swenson established a new school record for career strikeouts, and Healey broke the single season home run record. Both played big parts in YSU’s victory as Swenson allowed one hit through the first six innings, and Healey had a game-high four hits.

Swenson struck out 10 Crusaders to bring his career total to 254. He moved in front of former major-league pitchers Dave Dravecky (251 from 1975-78) and Justin Thomas (250 from 2003-05). Healey now has 12 home runs this season, which is one more than Adam Cox hit in 2003 and Joe Ayette hit in 1994.

In game two, the Penguins took a 2-0 lead in the third off on Shafer, who shut them out over eight innings on April 10. Casey Holland and Neil Schroth hit back-to-back doubles, and Schroth scored on a sacrifice fly from Jacke Healey. The Penguins didn’t score another run off the right-hander until the eighth inning when the score was 13-2.

The Crusaders scored twice in the fourth, once in the fifth and four times in the sixth to take the 13-2 advantage.

Aquadro suffered the loss, allowing six runs on five hits in 22/3 innings of work. Shafer struck out 10 en route to earning his sixth victory.

Youngstown State continues its busy weekend on Sunday with a doubleheader at Wright State. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.