Gibson helps Penguins earn split

Staff report

CHICAGO

Alexandria Gibson went 2-for-3 with a home run and five runs batted in and the Youngstown State softball team used a 14-hit barrage en route to a 17-4 victory in Game 1 of a doubleheader against Illinois-Chicago.

The Penguins dropped game two, 4-0.

In the opener, freshman Cali Mikovich went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in while Brittney Moffatt, Kelly Thompson-Cappadocio and Katie Smallcomb each recorded two hits for the Penguins (16-23, 6-8 Horizon League).

Thompson-Cappadocio drove in two runs while Miranda Castiglione drove in three runs and Sarah Dowd scored four times.

Gibson belted her second home run of the year, a three-run shot, in the second inning to give the Penguins 6-0 lead.

In the six-run third, Thompson-Cappadocio, Gibson and Haslett had run-scoring singles, Mikovich recorded a sacrifice fly, Lacatena posted an RBI-double and Castliglione drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk. In the fifth, Alexis Roach and Smallcomb each had bases-loaded walks, Thompson-Cappadocio hit a run-scoring single up the middle and Gibson was credited with a sacrifice fly.

Sophomore Caitlyn Minney picked up her fifth win of the year tossing a complete game with two strikeouts.

The Flames are 19-16, 10-4 Horizon.

The Penguins visit Saint Francis (Pa.), on Monday at 3 p.m.