YSU roundup

Women’s tennis

Penguins win HL title

Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Youngstown State women’s tennis team used a strong effort in singles play to beat Wright State 4-2 in the Horizon League Championships match on Sunday at the Michigan Tennis Center.

It marks the fourth-straight Horizon League Championship for the Penguins who now advance to the NCAA Regionals for the fourth time in as many years.

The Penguins defeated the Raiders for the second straight season in the conference tournament final.

After losing the doubles point, Cassandra Moraleja, Dominika Lackova, Noelly Longi Nsimba and Imaan Hassim all won singles matches in straight sets.

BASEBALL

Penguins come up short against Valpo

NILES

Valparaiso scored in six different innings and broke a tie with four runs in the ninth to beat the Penguins at Eastwood Field.

The Crusaders led 4-0 and 6-4 before Youngstown State tied the game twice. The Penguins, who won on their final at bat twice in a doubleheader sweep on Friday, could not find the same magicy.

After Lou Cardona’s RBI single plated Lorenzo Arcuri in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score at 6-6, Jake Hanson was hit by the first pitch of the top of the ninth to start Valparaiso’s rally. Pinch-runner Steven Fitzsimmons scored the go-ahead run on a one-out double by Giovanni Garbella, and Jayden Eggimann hit a three-run homer with two outs to blow the game open at 10-6.

Youngstown State got the first two batters on in the bottom of the ninth as Web Charles walked and scored on Shane Willoughby’s double, but Valpo reliever Easton Rhodehouse retired the next three batters to allow the Crusaders to avoid the series sweep.

Andrew Kendrick and Nico Padovan both had three hits, and Youngstown State finished with 16 hits as a team in the loss.

Youngstown State will not play any midweek games this week due to spring semester finals. The Penguins will play a doubleheader at Valparaiso on Friday and another doubleheader at Wright State on Saturday.

softBALL

YSU rallies to down CSU, earn season sweep

YOUNGSTOWN

The softball team scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to cap an 8-7 come-from-behind victory and complete the season series sweep over Cleveland State at the YSU Softball Field.

The Penguins (26-26, 14-7 Horizon League) recorded their ninth straight Horizon League win and the third straight series sweep.

Senior Sarah Dowd went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and senior Brittney Moffatt went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Senior Caitlyn Minney struck out seven in five innings and allowed three hits to pick up the victory. Junior Hannah Lucas went 2-for-3 and scored two runs and freshman Elizabeth Birkbeck posted a two-run single.

The Penguins will close out the regular season with a three-game series at Detroit Mercy, on Friday and Saturday.

Staff report