43
Home runs power YSU to blowout of Wright State
By BRANDON JUDEH
Canfield
The Youngstown State University Softball team’s bats heated up a cold, rainy Saturday evening by hitting three home runs in a five-inning 10-2 victory over Wright State at McCune Park.
Sarah Ingalls started the onslaught in the second inning for YSU (25-12, 9-7 Horizon League). Her two-run shot gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead and they never looked back.
After a Vicky Rumph RBI single made it 3-0 an inning later, Samantha Snodgrass extended the lead.
“I got an outside pitch and hit the homer, it got us really pumped up,” Snodgrass said of the hit that made it 6-0.
Penguins starting pitcher Casey Crozier went the distance, striking out three and scattering three hits to pick up her 12th win.
Crozier didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning when Kristi Boreing smashed a double into left-center field to break up a perfect game bid.
Sophomore Kacie Rapshus then homered over the center-field fence to cut the lead to four.
Wright State is 19-25, 7-9.
Perhaps it was the cold weather that helped things continue to go the Penguins’ way in the fourth inning when Haley Thomas homered over the right-center-field fence to push the lead back to six.
“I got a pitch right down the pipe and low,” Thomas said. “That was something they had thrown me before and I was looking for it again so I could drive it and I got one.”
Thomas ended the game, singling to knock in the final run to send the Raiders packing and end what was a long day filled with delays and the cancelation of another game.
“Even though we waited around all day, it was great because we got to bond and have a lot of fun,” Snodgrass said.
YSU has been hitting and pitching well and coach Brian Campbell says that winning the first game of this crucial Horizon League series made the day seem a little warmer.
“I think that when you go out and get 10 hits and 10 runs, it makes things seem a whole lot warmer than what it is,” Campbell said.
“The young ladies played well tonight and we were able to take a few games in Detroit and the first game here so the second half of Horizon play is off to a good start for us,” Campbell said.
Thomas went 3-4, knocking in three runs and scoring twice. Snodgrass reached base three times and had three RBIs to go along with two runs scored.
Also chipping in were Ingalls with a hit and two RBIs, and Sarah Gabel with a RBI.