Penguins swept in twinbill against NKU

By BOB ETTINGER

sports@vindy.com

NILES

Jeff Wehler is feeling the same frustration the rest of the Youngstown State baseball program is experiencing.

The sophomore left fielder, however, is still optimistic despite the Penguins missing opportunities in dropping a doubleheader to Northern Kentucky University on Thursday at Eastwood Field. The scores were 10-8 and 7-6,

“It is a bit frustrating,” Wehler said. “But at the end of the day, we had opportunities. I believe nine times out of 10, in situations like those, I’ll get in and score. We’re in the right spots at the right times, we just have to get it done.”

Wehler was on base four times in the nightcap and was stranded in scoring position three times.

“We’re aggressive,” Wehler said. “We’re trying to play baseball the right way. If you play the game hard, you can benefit yourself. We play hard and hope things go our way. There are times the breaks won’t go your way, but that’s the game sometimes.”

The Penguins (8-31, 4-13 in Horizon League) stranded 10 runners on base, half of those were left in scoring position.

“That’s been something we’ve struggled with all year — runners in scoring position,” said YSU assistant coach Eric Smith who filled in after head coach Dan Bertolini was ejected early for disagreeing on a pair of calls.

“I think a lot of times we’re putting extra pressure on ourselves,” Smith said. “We walk, we get hits, we get clutch hits, but with runners in scoring position, we can’t seem to get the big hit. It will come.”

YSU also had two runners thrown out at third. One came on a groundball to the left side, the other with a runner trying to go from first to third on a single to right leading to Bertolini’s ejection.

Another Penguin was caught trying to take second on a ball in the dirt.

“Going from second to third, we’ve got to do a better job of coaching,” Smith said. “There’s no excuse for that.

“We’re going to go from first to third because that’s going to take a perfect throw. He might have even been safe. On the ball in the dirt, Zach [Farrar] runs really well.

“That takes a perfect throw and they made one there. We’re always going to be aggressive. It starts with coaching. I’ve got to do a better job of coaching them up.”

Zach Lopatka drove in a pair of runs, Wehler, Trevor Wersma and Lucas Nasonti all had two hits for the Penguins.

“I’m always looking for the fastball,” Wehler said. “I was taught growing up a bad breaking pitch can hit itself. The guys were hitting well. When things go our way, we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”

Wehler and Phillip Glasser (3 RBI) each had three hits in the opener and Wiersma and Cameron Murray each had two. Murray drove in two runs.