YSU softball

Zappitelli’s triples lead YSU to win over CSU

cleveland

Junior Lexi Zappitelli went 3-for-3 with two runs batted in and tied a school single-game record with two triples to lead the Youngstown State softball team past Cleveland State, 7-4, on Friday afternoon at Viking Field.

With the win, the Penguins improve to 17-20 overall and 7-6 in the Horizon League while the Vikings fall to 13-23 overall and 3-6 in the league.

Zappitelli is just the third player in school history to record two triples in a game and the first since Amanda Berry in 2003.

Senior Stevie Taylor and sophomore Tatum Christy each went 2-for-4 with a double and Christy drove in a pair of runs while Taylor posted a run-scoring single.

Freshman Elle Buffenbarger (6-4) tossed her second straight complete-game victory and recorded seven strikeouts to pick up her sixth win of the season.

The Penguins jumped out to an early 5-0 lead with a five-run first inning. Zappitelli had a run-scoring triple, Maddi Lusk’s bunt single plated Zappitelli and sophomore Tatum Christy drove in a pair with a double to left field. Freshman Nikki Saibene’s ground out scored Christy with the Penguins fifth run.

Cleveland State’s Emery Sipe’s three-run home run in a three-run home run in the bottom half of the frame to get the Vikings within two, 5-3.

YSU added a two more runs in the top half of the second on a sacrifice fly by Zappitelli and a run-scoring single by senior Stevie Taylor.

Cleveland State added a run in the bottom half of the sixth.

Youngstown State and Cleveland State will conclude the series with a doubleheader, Saturday, starting a 1 p.m.

Staff report