Penguins Perry pitches gem in YSU victory

By GREG GULAS

sports@vindy.com

NILES

Travis Perry pitched 72⁄3 strong innings, scattering three hits and striking out a career-high eight batters Friday to lead Youngstown State to an 8-2 victory over Northern Kentucky at Eastwood Field.

It was the second straight quality start for Perry as YSU (9-31, 5-13 Horizon League) salvaged the final game of their weekend series with the Norse (10-28, 8-10).

“We fought hard yesterday but came ready to play today,” Perry said. “It didn’t matter who was on the mound because we were a determined team. Our hitters did a great job of getting us an early lead to work with. I was spotting up my fastball and working in and out.”

Perry (2-4) also went 72⁄3 innings against Illinois at Chicago on April 6 for his first win of the season.

“The Horizon League brings out the best in everyone and this is a nice rivalry with Northern Kentucky,” Perry said. “We just need to keep working hard as we move forward.”

Both Northern Kentucky starting pitcher Proctor Mercer and Perry were perfect through the first two innings.

Perry set down the first 13 batters that he faced while Mercer struggled to find the plate in the third inning when the YSU opened a 1-0 lead.

Mercer walked Zach Lopatka to start the frame, hit Dylan Swarmer then walked Cameron Murray to load the bases. After a flyout by Dylan Nasonti, Phillip Glasser followed with a grounder to Norse shortstop Collin Luty but he failed to turn the double play, allowing YSU to score the first run of game.

“We played well defensively the entire series,” Glasser said. “Today, we had timely hitting and a well-pitched game by Travis. When he is on, he’s on and he had great tempo the entire game.”

The Penguins sent 11 batters to the plate in the fifth inning, scoring six times on three hits and three Northern Kentucky errors to open a 7-0 advantage.

Glasser added a two-run single while Trevor Wiersma, Drew Dickerson and Lopatka also had RBIs in the frame.

The game was delayed 15-minutes before the middle of the sixth inning to allow the ground crew to attend to wet areas throughout the infield, pitcher’s mound and batter’s boxes.

Swarmer added an RBI single in the seventh, but the Norse ruined YSU’s chance for their first shutout since May 8, 2016 with RBI singles by Collin Hohman and Will Haueter in the ninth off of reliever Grant Kersh.

“This was huge win for us today and that’s two quality starts now for Travis,” Penguins head coach Dan Bertolini said. “Everything we do starts with pitching and defense and we had both. We have a tough team and fight no matter what.

“Travis had great command of his pitches, and his off-speed pitches were extra sharp. He went to his slider a little more than his curve but most importantly, worked ahead in the count.”