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Penguins fight back
Photo
Youngstown State’s Marcus Heath raises his arms in celebration after driving in the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning during Sunday’s game against Horizon League rival Milwuakee at Eastwood Field in Niles. The Penguins defeated the Panthers, 4-3, in 11 innings.
Jeremy Banks’ hit scores Drew Dosch with the winning run in the 11th inning for a Horizon victory over Milwaukee
By ryan Buck
NILES
If the celebratory mob at the top of the Eastwood Field infield wasn’t enough to describe the Youngstown State baseball team’s victory over Horizon League rival Milwaukee on Sunday, coach Rich Pasquale was certainly able to.
“It was a big emotional win that we did need. I can’t say it enough,” Pasquale said following the 4-3 victory in 11 innings.
Bolstered by resilient starting pitching and a scoreless effort from its bullpen, the Penguins offense was able to provide some late-inning heroics.
Senior first baseman Jeremy Banks’ bloop single in the bottom of the 11th scored Drew Dosch from second base and gave the Penguins (2-15, 1-2 HL) their second win of the season. With the victory, YSU avoided a weekend series sweep at the hands of the Panthers (6-11, 2-1).
“It means a lot. We’ve been battling all year and I know we’ve lost a couple close games like this,” said Banks. “It feels good to get this one, especially in conference against a good team like Milwaukee.”
Penguins starter Pat Shedlock overcame a shaky first inning and a two-run third by the Panthers to keep the Milwaukee offense at bay and his team in position to win.
“He battled and then he made pitches when he needed to. He did a [heck] of a job and he kept us right there,” said Pasquale.
Shedlock struck out five and never allowed a Panther runner to reach second base in his final three innings. He left with his team trailing 3-2.
“We’ve been on this pitching staff quite a bit because of a lot of two-out base-hit RBIs that we’ve been giving up, but they keep coming hard every day,” Pasquale said. “Resolve, for them, it isn’t always what they wanted.
“But today I can’t say enough about this pitching staff.”
YSU relievers Kevin McCulloh, Nic Manuppelli, and Ryan Krokos combined for five innings of shutout pitching, surrendering four hits.
Down to their last out in the ninth, the top of the Penguins lineup went to work. Dosch singled and advanced to third on Banks’ single. Sophomore Marcus Heath’s line drive to left field sent Dosch home to tie the score at 3, setting the stage for the walk-off win two innings later.
Dosch, Banks, and Heath combined for 10 hits. Heath drove in three runs.
“Drew, the last couple time’s he’s been up with two outs to keep things going, to get it to [Banks], and for Marcus to be that strong, I can’t say enough,” said Pasquale.
“They just kept fighting. They wanted it and they got it.”
Milwaukee starting pitcher Mike Schneider did not allow an earned run in six innings.
Krokos picked up the win in relief for YSU while Heath drove in two fifth-inning runs with a two-out double.