Tickets available for YSU baseball breakfast

Tickets available for YSU baseball breakfast

The Youngstown State baseball program is selling tickets for the First Pitch Breakfast, which will feature Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench and university president Jim Tressel.

Tickets for the event, which will be Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Maronite Center in Youngstown, start at $25 for general admission seats, and premium reserved seats are available for $50 apiece. Corporate and group tables can also be reserved, and they include eight breakfast and raffle tickets, premium seating and sponsor recognition on YSUsports.com.

The breakfast will be a full buffet prepared by the kitchen of Blue Wolf Events, and there will be live and silent auctions and a 50/50 raffle. Each guest will be entered into a raffle for two grand prizes. One prize is a catered suite for 20 at Eastwood Field during a YSU baseball game, and the second prize is $250 in cash.

Springfield’s Day takes coaching job in Indiana

Daniel Day, a 2005 Springfield High graduate, has accepted the head coaching position at St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, Ind.

Dan, a four year letter earner, was a member of the inaugural football team at Seton Hill University where he was team captain. He was a graduate assistant at Seton Hill for two years before moving to St. Joes as the offensive line coach and assistant head coach.

Grove City football coach plans retirement

Grove City College football coach Chris Smith announced he will retire at the end of next season after more than 30 years with the program.

Grove City College alumnus Andrew DiDonato, a four-year starter at quarterback for the Wolverines from 2006-2009, will succeed Smith as head coach.

He will join the coaching staff this January as offensive coordinator and will work closely with Smith during the 2015 season to ensure a seamless transition as he assumes the head coach role after Smith’s retirement.

Pirates acquire LHP Bastardo from Phillies

The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo from the Philadelphia Phillies for minor league lefty Joely Rodriguez.

The trade was announced Wednesday at the winter meetings.

The 29-year-old Bastardo went 5-7 with a 3.94 ERA this year with the Phillies. He struck out 81 and walked 34 in 64 innings. In six big league seasons — all with the Phillies — he is 20-18 with a 3.72 ERA. He has 324 strikeouts in 259 innings.

Oregon State hires Wisconsin’s Andersen

Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen has stepped down to become the head coach at Oregon State.

Andersen, Wisconsin’s coach for the past two seasons, informed the team of his decision on Wednesday afternoon, the school announced.

Wisconsin (10-3) is scheduled to play in the Outback Bowl against Auburn (8-4) on Jan. 1. It was not immediately clear who would coach the Badgers in the bowl game. The team scheduled a news conference for later Wednesday.

Andersen replaces Mike Riley, who left the Pac-12’s Beavers to accept the head coaching job at Nebraska after the dismissal of Bo Pelini.

Staff/Wire reports