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YSU edges Valpo, avoids sweep
By Joe Catullo Jr.
Niles
With runners at the corners in the bottom of the eighth inning, Youngstown State’s Josh White stepped to the plate and looked to break a tie against Valparaiso.
He hit into a 4-6-3 double play. There was no cheering from the Youngstown State fans and not much commotion from the dugout.
But the double play did allow Nick DiNello to score from third base as the Crusaders played a deep infield and sacrificed the run for two outs.
“Josh White is a power hitter,” DiNello said. “I mean he’s hitting in the fourth spot, so they probably knew that and a deep ball might be coming.”
That run proved to be the difference as YSU won Sunday’s series finale, 4-3, and avoided a three-game sweep.
Before White’s double play in the eighth, the Penguins (10-25, 6-6 Horizon League) put the first two guys on for Drew Dosch. YSU coach Steve Gillispie called for a sacrifice bunt. Dosch is batting .298 this season with 10 doubles, 17 RBIs and a .476 slugging percentage.
“Drew is a baseball guy. He understands how to do things, and he was willing to give himself up right there,” Gillispie said. “You hate to take the bat out of the hand of a guy with that kind of ability, but it was kind of a win-win situation.”
After taking a strike and a ball, Gillispie then called for a hit-and-run. Dosch delivered with an opposite field single that scored Mike Accardi, tying the game.
“I tried to hit it on the ground hard the other way, which is kind of our approach on hit and runs,” Dosch said.
Gillispie said he changed the call because he didn’t want a double play.
“He’s a team guy and a real baseball talent, so you don’t feel too bad about asking a guy like that to execute,” Gillispie said.
Nic Manuppelli jogged out of the bullpen in the ninth inning but struggled early. He began with a leadoff, four-pitch walk. After the runner reached second base with one out, Gillispie walked out of the dugout and talked to his closer.
“He could kind of tell that my arm was a little bit sore today, but it was just a ‘Get back into it, you’ve got this’ sort of deal,” Manuppelli said.
Manuppelli settled down and did not allow the tying run to score.
“He wasn’t just necessarily all over the strike zone, but that can be in itself effective,” Gillispie said. “He did find the change-up and was able to keep them from getting a good swing on a good count. Even when maybe you don’t have your best command, when the stuff’s good, you’ve got a chance.”
The win also moves YSU into a three-way tie for second place in the Horizon League while Valpo (13-20, 4-8) ranks last.
“We consistently preach each week how big Sundays were and that championships can be won or lost based on how you do on Sundays,” Gillispie said.