YSU roundup

SOFTBALL

Sarah Dowd named to Academic All-HL team

For the third time in her career, Youngstown State senior Sarah Dowd has been named to the Academic All-Horizon League Softball Team, the league announced on Friday. Dowd, a 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America Third-Team selection, is the only player in YSU softball history to earn the all-league honors three times. She was also named a 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-District Second-Team selection. Dowd carries a 4.0 grade-point average in graduate school and graduated in three years with a 3.91 GPA in psychology. A three-time All-Horizon League Second-Team selection, she has appeared in 198 career games. The 2014 Horizon League Freshman of the Year, she became YSU’s career home run record with 35 with a solo home run against Northern Kentucky on April 13, 2017. She ranks third with 141 runs scored, second with 126 RBIs, tied for seventh with 176 hits and tied for ninth with 21 stolen bases. She also owns the all-time record with five career grand slams. Dowd is the only player in school history with at least 30 home runs, 100 runs scored and 100 RBIs. The only player in school history to hit at least 10 home runs in consecutive seasons 11 in 2015 and 11 in 2016.

CROSS COUNTRY

South Range’s Maali signs letter of intent

South Range runner Xena Maali signed her national letter of intent with Youngstown State on Friday.

BASEBALL

Penguins split twin bill

Lorenzo Arcuri hit a two-run double with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Youngstown State baseball team to a 4-3 victory at Valparaiso in game one of a doubleheader at Emory G. Bauer Field. The Penguins dropped game two, 6-2.

The Penguins also beat the Crusaders in their final at bat twice last weekend and finished the regular season winning three of five games against Valparaiso.

Arcuri and Trey Bridis had hits in both games of the doubleheaders, and Bridis’ solo home run in the top of the second inning of game one gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead. Valparaiso scored twice in the bottom of the second and once more in the third, and the Crusaders held the 3-1 advantage until the Penguins rallied late.

Arcuri walked and scored on a Kyle Benyo sacrifice fly to bring the Penguins to within 3-2, and that set up Arcuri’s heroics in the top of the ninth. Shane Willoughby started the ninth by being hit by a pitch, and Andrew Kendrick reached on an error to put the go-ahead runner on. Valpo closer Easton Rhodehouse retired the next two hitters, but Arcuri hit a 0-1 pitch into the right-center gap for what turned out to be a game-winning triple.

Joe King retired the Crusaders in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn his sixth save, which is tied for the fourth-most by a YSU pitcher in one season. Joel Hake pitched 2-1/3 shutout innings of relief to earn his first victory of the season for the Penguins.

In game two, Valparaiso scored twice in the bottom of the third inning to go up 2-0. Bridis singled home Arcuri in the fourth inning, and Anthony Rohan’s sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth knotted the score at 2-2. The Crusaders with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the eventual winning margin of 6-2.

Bridis finished 3-for-4 in the night cap, but the rest of YSU’s lineup combined to have two hits in 27 at bats.

VOLLEYBALL

Brown, Varcolla chosen as 2017 team captains

Sam Brown and Sarah Varcolla will serve as team captains of the Youngstown State volleyball program for the 2017 season.

The pair was elected by their teammates and led the squad throughout the spring season. They will continue the role in the fall. Brown is a rising senior who will be a captain for the second straight year, and Varcolla, a rising junior, will be captain for the first time.

“I think that both Sam and Sarah are ready to lead this team back to the Horizon League Tournament,” Penguins head coach Mark Hardaway said. “They both are very competitive and very focused right now, and I think they will both hold the team to high standards over the summer and in the fall.”

Brown will enter her senior year already ranking in the top 20 in program history in kills, kills per set, attempts, aces and points. A three-year starter at outside hitter, Brown needs 174 kills to become the 13th player in program history to reach 1,000 kills.

“Sam’s freshman year was our program’s most successful season since 1999, and I know she wants to finish her career well,” Hardaway said. “Her leadership skills have grown over the past three years. She has been on the floor since day one of her freshman year and has experience we need.”

Varcolla was voted to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team as a freshman in 2015, and she built on that with a solid 2016. She moved from the left side to the middle and finished her sophomore year with career highs of 2.25 kills and 1.06 blocks per set.

“To me, it is always impressive when an underclassman is voted captain by her teammates,” Hardaway said. “Sarah did a great job in high school leading her team, and I know she will do the same for us. She has also been a starter since day one, and I am looking forward to watching her develop a leadership style.”

Youngstown State will open the 2017 season on Aug. 25.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Bruinsma is new director of player personnel

Kevin Bruinsma, who has spent the last four seasons with the Youngstown State men’s basketball program, has been named Director of Player Personnel, Head Coach Jerrod Calhoun announced. Bruinsma is entering his fifth season with the Penguins in 2017-18 after spending the last two years as an assistant coach and two as director of basketball operations. “Kevin is a rising star in this business,” Calhoun said. “He is a very hard worker and we very happy to keep him on board. He’s dedicated to Youngstown State and will help with the continuity between the staff and players.” Over the last two seasons, Bruinsma helped the Penguins reach the Horizon League Tournament semifinals for the first time and coached two of the top offensive teams in the program’s history. Last season, the Penguins set the school scoring record with 2,616 points and marked the eighth straight year YSU scored at least 2,000 points in a year. Junior Cameron Morse was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District 12 First-Team and the All-Horizon League First-Team. Morse led the Horizon League in scoring with 23.2 points per game in league games and ranked second overall with 22.9 points per game.

Staff report