YSU sweeps doubleheader at Missouri

Staff report

Columbia, MO.

The Youngstown State baseball team endured two dramatic ninth innings to earn a doubleheader sweep at Missouri on Saturday at Taylor Stadium.

The Penguins scored twice in the top of the ninth inning in game one to prevail 4-3, and they got a game-ending double play with the tying run on second in the nightcap to win 3-2.

YSU had not defeated a Southeast Conference team since a win at Missouri in 2004 when the Tigers were in the Big 12. The Penguins had not beaten a true SEC team since a win at Kentucky in 1988.

Kevin Yarabinec pitched 1.2 innings to get the win in the opener, and he came on to record the final seven outs in game two to earn the save. He allowed two hits and one walk in four total innings of relief work.

Youngstown State took its first lead in the eighth when Lorenzo Arcuri led off with a double and scored on a wild pitch, but Missouri scored twice in the bottom of the inning to go up 3-2.

Nico Padovan’s second hit of the game put two runners on. Hunter Snyder singled up the middle to plate the tying run, and Padovan scored from third on Arcuri’s sacrifice fly.

YSU never trailed in game two and held the Tigers to just four hits. The Penguins struck early when Andrew Kendrick scored Padovan and Billy Salem with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the first.

Missouri scored an unearned run in the second to make the score 2-1, and YSU answered with a run in the fourth to go up 3-1. Trey Bridis drew a one-out walk, and Shane Willoughby’s double set up a sacrifice fly from Dominic Farina.

Missouri’s first hit of game two came with two outs in the fifth inning, and it resulted in a run that cut the margin to 3-2.