Oakland pitchers shut down YSU

Staff report

NILES

A trio of Oakland pitchers combined to limit the Youngstown State baseball team to three hits, and the Golden Grizzlies evened the three-game series with a 4-1 victory on Friday night at Eastwood Field.

Oakland starter Tim Koons went seven innings and allowed an unearned run on three hits and four walks while striking out nine. Collin Gee pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Logan Sparkman retired YSU in order in the ninth.

The Penguins (7-24, 2-8 Horizon League) were held to one hit after the third inning.

YSU starter Patrick O’Brien allowed three runs on five hits in seven innings. Four of the hits he allowed were in Oakland’s three-run fourth. Oakland finished with nine singles.

The Penguins took a 1-0 lead in the second on a manufactured run. David Saluga opened the inning by striking out, but reached first on a passed ball by Ian Yetsko. Saluga stole second before moving to third on an infield single by Mike Accardi. Kevin Hix struck out, but Accardi stole second. With two outs, Jake Ross hit a chopper to short, but the throw by Mike Brosseau pulled Zach Sterry off first base and Ross dodged the tag as Saluga scored.

Oakland broke through with a three-run fourth inning. With one out, the Golden Grizzlies (7-20, 2-9) loaded the bases and eventually all three runners came around to score. The tying run came home on a Spencer Marentette groundout to second. Sterry scored the go-ahead run when O’Brien was called for a balk. The third run came in on a Yetsko single as Jared Theisen came home.

The Golden Grizzlies added an insurance run in the ninth when Theisen led off with a single, stole second and scored on Marentette’s single.

The Penguins stranded eight runners and went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position.

YSU and Oakland will play the series finale at 2 p.m. today at Eastwood Field.