43
Pitt pounds Penguins in four-hour marathon
By Steve WILAJ
NILES
Not only did the University of Pittsburgh deliver a beating to Youngstown State on Wednesday, but the Panthers did it in drawn-out fashion at Eastwood Field.
Falling to Pittsburgh 17-5, YSU’s pitching surrendered 20 hits, five walks and hit seven Panthers batters. The beating started at 5:30 p.m. and didn’t end until 9:40 p.m., as it took the Penguins four hours and 10 minutes to fall to 7-23 and drop their seventh contest in the last eight games.
“They’re always a physical and very aggressive team,” YSU coach Steve Gillispie said. “If you don’t make pitches and put hitters away and then give them extra outs, they’re gonna hurt you. Unfortunately it was in really big numbers early on.”
YSU starter Michael Semonsen lasted just two innings, as he surrendered 10 hits and six runs, although none were earned. Pittsburgh (18-14) had a big top of the second when — following a one-out error by Penguins third baseman Alex Larivee — Frank Maldonado hit a two-run triple before four Panthers notched RBI singles.
YSU answered with four runs over the next two innings — keyed Gerrad Rohan’s double and two RBIs — but Pitt responded in the top of the fourth to take control of the game.
Penguins reliever Will Jameison lasted just two-thirds of an inning and allowed five earned runs, and the Panthers put up a five-spot in the frame keyed by a Charles Leblanc two-run single. Pittsburgh then piled on by scoring two runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings.
In all, YSU’s bullpen — which consisted of four different pitchers — pitched seven innings and allowed 11 runs on 10 hits and four walks.
“Part of the reason we didn’t stick with guys last night when we were at West Virginia and again tonight was to make sure we have guys available,” Gillispie said. “We needed to get them some work, but we also didn’t want to burn them up.”
Alex Kowalczyk, Maldonado and Leblanc all finished with three hits for Pittsburgh, while the latter two each had three RBIs as well. In all, 12 different Panthers recorded a hit.
YSU finished with nine hits. Rohan went 2 for 4 with three RBIs, while Andrew Kendrick and Trey Bridis had two hits apiece.
“We’ve been swinging it better of late and we did again today, I thought, at the beginning” Gillispie said. “But it was hard especially when they had their bullpen pretty well-rested.”
The Penguins are now just 3-12 in the past month since March 20. They’re also just 2-7 in April and 2-8 overall at home.
YSU has four more games remaining this week, all at Eastwood Field. It will host Horizon League foes Wright State on Friday and Oakland on Saturday. Game times are at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. both days.
“The focus has got to be on letting that one go and getting ready for the weekend, because that’s gonna be a grind,” Gillispie said.