MEN’S GOLF

MEN’S GOLF

Yeo, Pluchinsky help Penguins place third

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, FLA.

Bryan Yeo was fifth and Brandon Pluchinsky placed seventh to lead the men’s golf team to a third-place finish at the Horizon League championships which concluded on Sunday at the Mission Inn Resort.

The Penguins finished a strong third place after carding a final round 306 for a tournament score of 911. Cleveland State held on to win the team title from Detroit by just three shots. The Vikings won the event with an 892 while the Titans were second with an 895. The Penguins had rounds of 305, 300 and 306 for their 911. Valparaiso was fourth with a 915 after also firing a 306 on Sunday.

Yeo and Pluchinsky earned all-tournament honors for their performances.

Yeo had a final round 74 and finished the event with an 8-over 224. Pluchinsky had a 77 on the final day to go with a pair of 74s. He finished with a 225 for the tournament.

D.J. Holub finished with a 231 to tie for 17th. Bill Gaffney was 22nd with a 234. Senior Mark Olbrych finished 25th in his final YSU tournament with a 242.

WOMEN’S GOLF

Merling places second as Penguins take third

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS

Youngstown State junior Aislynn Merling finished second while the Penguins placed third at the Horizon League women’s golf championships which concluded on Sunday at the Mission Inn Resort.

Merling had a final-round 74 on Sunday and finished with a three-round score of 230.

Detroit’s Lindsey Lammers won the event with a 228. Lammers led Detroit to the team title as the Titans rallied to overtake Oakland by seven shots. Detroit won the tournament with a 943, Oakland finished second at 950, YSU was third at 955 while Valparaiso was fourth and Cleveland State fifth.

Emily Dixon, who was the first round leader and was tied with Lammers for the lead following the second round, had a final round 83 and finished in eighth place.

Allison Mitzel, the 2013 Horizon League champion, continued her consistent play with a final round 79.

Emily Rohanna had her best round of the tournament with a 78 on Sunday. Rohanna finished 26th with a three-round score of 250.

Mia Barchetti posted a score of 257 for the event and finished 32nd in her Horizon League debut.

BASEBALL

Krokos, bullpen lead Penguins past Panthers

MILWAUKEE

The Youngstown State baseball team got a solid effort from its pitching staff and manufactured enough offense to beat Milwaukee 5-2 on Sunday afternoon at Henry Aaron Field.

Junior Ryan Krokos made an emergency start and held the Panthers to one run in 3 2/3 innings. Ryan Smith got the final out of the fourth, and Alex Frey, Robert Switka and Josh North did not allow a hit or a walk over the final five innings. No Panthers reached base against Frey, who earned the victory in a three-inning appearance. North earned his first career save by pitching a scoreless ninth.

Brent Gillespie homered and drove in three runs for YSU, which handed Milwaukee just its second home loss in the last 26 games. Mike Porcaro was 2-for-4 to lead the Panthers.

SOFTBALL

Polidori’s homer in 6th dooms YSU at Oakland

ROCHESTER, MICH.

Oakland’s Erika Polidori hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning and lifted the Golden Grizzlies past the YSU softball team, 8-6, on Sunday at the OU Softball Field.

The Penguins (26-22, 8-8 Horizon League), who trailed 5-1 after five innings, used a five-run top of the sixth inning to take a 6-5 lead.

Miranda Castiglione, Courtney Ewing and Haley Knight each had two hits for the Penguins and Knight drove in a pair of runs.

The Golden Grizzlies are 15-19 and 4-5 in the Horizon League.

Vindicator staff report