Butler holds on to defeat YSU

Staff report

NILES

Butler scored three runs to break a tie in the sixth inning and held on late to defeat Youngstown State, 7-5, in a Horizon League baseball game Friday at Eastwood Field.

The Bulldogs’ three-run sixth came after YSU (3-21, 1-6 HL) scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score at 4. YSU added a run in the eighth and had the tying run at the plate in each of the final two innings.

YSU starter Blake Aquadro struck out a career-high seven batters in five innings, but he walked four and hit two others. All seven runs were charged to the junior left-hander, including two in the sixth that came after he handed the ball to the bullpen.

Marcus Heath gave the Penguins the lead in the bottom of the first with his first career home run. Drew Dosch hit a two-out single to right to get aboard for Heath,.

Mike Hoscheit homered to start Butler’s fourth, and the Bulldogs (14-12, 4-3) went on to score three runs in the inning.

YSU tied the score with two runs in the fifth, one of which was unearned. Two walks and a single by YSU’s David Leon loaded the bases with one out, and Dosch brought in Padraic Williams with a sacrifice fly. Leon then scored the tying run when Heath’s grounder between short and third was misplayed.

YSU scored a two-out run in the eighth to cut the margin to two. Craig Goubeaux was hit by a pitch to start the rally, and he went to second on Kevin Hix’s single to right. Phil Lipari then doubled to left center to bring in Goubeaux.

Jason Shirley hit an infield single with one out in the ninth to put the tying run at the plate for YSU, but Dosch flew out to left and Heath grounded out to short to end the game.