43
Cea’s homer gives YSU softball team split
Three-run homer gives YSU split vs. Kent State
By BOB ETTINGER
YOUNGSTOWN
Grace Cea probably doesn’t need much in the jewelry department, but she was happy to have Youngstown State softball put a new necklace around her neck.
The freshman left fielder’s three-run homer in the third inning of the nightcap was the catalyst for a 4-3 victory over Kent State to give the Penguins a split in the doubleheader at Covelli Sports Complex on Wednesday evening.
“She got all of it,” YSU coach Brian Campbell said. “We started the RBI chain, kind of like Miami does with the turnover chain. You might have seen them when she hit it. It just gives them a fun aspect when they get an RBI and get to wear it. I was excited to see that. I was excited for that young lady.”
Dani Dadig doubled to lead off the bottom half of the third and Lexi Zappitelli was later hit by a pitch. Cea connected and sent a pitch over the wall in left-center to put the Penguins (5-17) up, 3-0.
“Initially, I was just looking for a strike to hit and not do anything too big,” Cea said. “I took a cut and it felt good. When you make contact like that, you don’t really feel anything, it just goes.”
The bomb gave the Penguins life.
“It was really cool [they were excited to give me the chain] because when we’ve gotten RBIs before, there’s been no excitement,” Cea said. “It was just another thing that happened naturally in a game. That was such a big deal for us. After the first game and the way we struggled, it meant more to get those couple of RBIs. It represented all of our hard work.”
The Golden Flashes (7-15) tied it at 3 following a two-run double from Hailey Hopkins and an RBI single from Kaitlyn Miller in the top of the fourth.
The Penguins answered right away.
Elizabeth Burbeck walked to lead off the fourth and pinch runner Sarah Bader went all the way to third as Sophia Patonis forced Kent State pitcher Madi Huck to make an error while fielding a ball back to the circle. Huck threw the ball away allowing Patonis to take second. Bader later scored on a wild pitch for the 4-3 lead.
“How we came back in the second game, after going through the first game, was something I wanted to see as a team,” Campbell said. “I’m happy with how they responded and were able to pick it up in the second game. They beat a pretty good team Give credit to the kids for responding. Sometimes, it’s hard to come back after a game like that first one. We always say to ‘flush it’ and take that next step, start that next game fresh.”
Freshman hurler Addy Jarvis struck out seven in the win, stranding five Golden Flashes in scoring position along the way.
“Mentally, I was trying not to let it affect me,” Jarvis said. “You’re going to give up hits. You’re going to give up shots. You’re going to walk people. If it gets in your head, it can ruin the game for you. I hit my spots and let my defense help me get out of it. We threw just about everything at them.”
In the first game, Andrea Scali held the Penguins hitless as the Golden Flashes struck for a 10-0 mercy-rule win.
Jarvis knew YSU was capable of putting that loss behind them as she readied to take the circle in the second game.
“I’ve seen us do that before,” Jarvis said. “I feel like we’re always our strongest in the second game. We should be strong in both games, but it happens. You’re going to have that happen. In practice, I know we can do it. [My teammates] hit against me. They field behind me.”
Zappitelli gave the Penguins their first hit of the day with a single in the top of the first in the nightcap.