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Eight is enough: RMU rolls past YSU softball
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Youngstown State’s Jordan Ingalls, right, catches a pop fly with backup from Haley Thomas during the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Robert Morris Colonials at McCune Park in Canfield. The Penguins lost both games, 8-0 and 12-4, respectively.
By Ryan Buck
CANFIELD
The visiting Robert Morris Colonials swept a non-conference double-header from the Youngstown State softball team Thursday evening at McCune Park.
The Colonials (34-20), of the Northeast Conference, took game one 8-0 and game two 12-4 from YSU (27-18-1), with both contests ended by the eight-run rule. The two setbacks are only the fourth and fifth home losses of the season for the Penguins.
In game one, Colonials starting pitcher Nicole Sleith limited the Penguins to four hits. RMU’s ace struck out six in a complete-game effort.
“I think the first pitcher did a great job keeping us off-balance, the lefty there,” YSU coach Brian Campbell said. “She was throwing the outside rise [pitch] on our hitters. As hitters going in, for the remainder of that game and even into the second game, we had to make adjustments.”
Sleith held the Horizon League’s top hitting team to six runs below its season average.
Sleith’s offense gave her quite a cushion, jumping on Penguins starter Hana Somogyi with two home runs in the early going.
With two on and two- outs in the first, Tess Apke sent a Somogyi offering over the left field wall for a 3-0 RMU lead.
In the second, RMU loaded the bases with one out. A Penguins throwing error led to two more runs. Sarah Capp jumped on the next pitch for another three- run shot to left.
Facing another early deficit in game two, the Penguins responded in the bottom of the first inning. Samantha Snodgrass’ two-out single to right field scored Jordan Ingalls to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Now trailing 4-2 in the fourth, the Penguins responded once again. Snodgrass again stood in scoring position with two- outs. Senior Kristen Philen smashed a double to the right-center field fence and Snodgrass’ run made the score 4-3.
In the top of the fifth, the Colonials scored eight runs on four hits and three walks to take a 12-3 lead.
YSU senior Haley Thomas, in her final at-bat at home, drove a Geena Badolato offering to dead center for a solo home run, her team-leading ninth of the year,
“I was just trying to have a good at-bat and swing at quality pitches because I struggled with that early on,” said Thomas. “I knew she had a changeup and I was trying to make sure I sat back on that.”
The Penguins travel to Green Bay this weekend for their final Horizon League series.
“It was off day for us a little bit tonight,” said Campbell. “We’ll pack the bus tonight, leave for Green Bay, have a day to do some stuff there, then get after Saturday’s games.”