Sunday, April 29, 2012
By ryan buck
Canfield
The Youngstown State Softball team will have to wait another day to complete the opening game of their Horizon League series with of Illinois-Chicago.
The Penguins (26-15-1, 10-8 HL) and Flames (24-23, 10-7) were tied 7-7 after four eventful innings Saturday when the game was called at McCune Park
The rain that soaked the Mahoning Valley forced the postponement of the scheduled doubleheader and washed out Senior Day for the four members of the Penguins’ class of 2012.
Despite the frigid conditions, the bats for both clubs were hot as the third- and fourth-place teams in the conference combined for six home runs and 18 hits.
The Penguins feature the league’s highest team batting average at .320 and the Flames come in at .287, good for third.
Senior center fielder Haley Thomas made the most of the shortened afternoon, smacking a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at seven. It was the second of back-to-back home runs, as first baseman Courtney Ewing’s two-run homer preceded Thomas’ blast.
“Being able to bounce back after someone scores a couple runs early on, we’re not afraid of that,” Thomas said.
For every big inning from UIC, the Penguins responded.
Shortstop Natalie Hernandez got the Flames off to a scorching start in the first inning with a two-run blast over the right-field wall, the first of her two home runs.
In honoring their senior teammates, two Penguin juniors jump-started the YSU offense in the bottom half of the inning. Catcher Vicki Rumph’s one-out single drove in two runs to tie to game at 2-2 before right fielder Sarah Gabel drilled a two-run homer to right-center, scoring Rumph.
The Flames added a run in the third inning to cut the YSU lead to 4-3.
Aided by two errors from the Penguins, UIC put four runs on the board in the top of the fourth to take a 7-4 advantage. Melissa Preish led off the inning with a solo home run to center. Ashley Hewett and Melinda Macias singled, setting the stage for Hernandez’ second home run.
Ewing and Thomas’ heroics in the bottom half of the frame provided the final runs before the game was called.
“It was raining for both teams so you can’t just say ‘Oh it was raining so we lost’ or ‘It was raining so they won,’” said Thomas. “Whatever the outcome, tomorrow we have to make sure to come out more focused. We need to be ready to get the game going.”
Prior to the contest, YSU recognized seniors Jordan Ingalls, Amanda Palmore, Kristen Philen, and Thomas.
Coach Brian Campbell praised the class who began their careers with eight wins in 2009 and now lead a team with a legitimate chance at a Horizon League title.