SPORTS DIGEST || Western Reserve senior Hughes to walk on at YSU

Reserve’s Hughes to join YSU volleyball

YOUNGSTOWN

Western Reserve senior Aleah Hughes will join the Youngstown State volleyball program as a walk-on.

Hughes (5-9) finished her Blue Devils career with 1,170 career kills and 1,037 career digs. She was an honorable mention All-Ohio selection as a senior when she posted 447 kills and 276 digs, and she was first-team all-conference and first-team all-district in each of her final two seasons. Western Reserve won the Inter Tri-County League and was the district runner-up in both 2013 and 2014.

Hughes also played basketball, and she is a pitcher on Western Reserve’s softball team. She will graduate as valedictorian of her class, and she is a member of the National Honor Society.

Canfield grad Baker earns NCAC honors

SPRINGFIELD, OHIO

Wittenberg sophomore Abby Baker, a 2013 Canfield High graduate, was once again named first team All-North Coast Athletic Conference.

After her freshman year when she was named the Newcomer of the Year for the NCAC and all-region by the National Fastpich Coaches Association, Baker followed it up by hitting .333 with three home runs.

Grand Slam lifts UIC over YSU baseball

CHICAGO

Alex Lee hit a grand slam with two outs in the seventh inning to lift UIC to a 5-4 victory over the Youngstown State baseball team on Friday afternoon at Curtis Granderson Stadium.

The Penguins lost a one-run game to the league-leading Flames for the second straight day. They held a 5-3 advantage heading into the bottom of the ninth on Thursday in an eventual 6-5 setback.

Alex Larivee and Frank Califano both had two hits to lead Youngstown State.

YSU and UIC will conclude their regular seasons today at noon.

YSU football opener to kick off at 1 p.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

The YSU football program will officially start the Bo Pelini era at 1 p.m. on Sept. 5 when the Penguins visit Pittsburgh at Heinz Field.

The contest between the Penguins and Panthers will be carried live on WKBN-AM 570 and ESPN3.

The game will feature Pelini’s YSU head coaching debut as well as Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi’s head coaching debut. Both coaches grew up in Youngstown.

YSU and Pittsburgh previously meet in September 2012 in what was the Panthers head coaching debut of Paul Chrsyt.

The Penguins won that memorable game 31-17 in what was the program’s first victory over a BCS/Power Five conference foe.

In the all-time series the Panthers hold a 2-1 lead with wins in 2005 and 2009.

Springfield’s Ford commits to Geneva

NEW MIDDLETOWN

Springfield senior Callie Ford will continue her basketball career at Geneva College.

During her career at Springfield, she scored 1,150 points, she was a three-time first team all-conference selection and also earned first team all-district and special mention All-Ohio.

‘Steeltown Struggle’ set for May 23

YOUNGSTOWN

The Ironman Warehouse will hold the “Steeltown Struggle,” a competition featuring strongman and ironfit events, on May 23.

The strongman competition, which features events like tire flips and the farmer’s walk, will begin at 10 a.m. The ironfit competition, which features events like slider plank walks and burpee hurdles, begins at 1:30 p.m.

The competition includes weight classes and male and female divisions. Cleveland Browns guard John Greco, a Boardman High graduate, will attend.

For details, email Paul Dunleavy at jesusdiedsowelive@yahoo.com or call 330-360-3637.

Vindicator staff reports