Farrar’s speed helps YSU beat Pitt in 10th

By BOB ETTINGER

sports@vindy.com

NILES

It was automatic. Youngstown State baseball coach Dan Bertolini was going to try and score pinch runner Zach Farrar from second in an attempt to beat the University of Pittsburgh in the home half of the 10th inning on Wednesday night.

Farrar had no doubt he’d plate the winning run, either.

All Penguins shortstop Phillip Glasser had to do was find an open space to deposit the ball.

Glasser bounced a ball at the Panthers’ first baseman, got a fortuitous hop and Farrar raced around third to give YSU a 3-2 walk-off victory at Eastwood Field.

“I hit it hard,” Glasser said. “I looked up and it was right by the first baseman. I was scared at first, then I saw it got by him. That was an unbelievable moment for me and my team. We’ve been struggling and it’s nice to get some momentum going into a conference series this weekend.”

Bertolini intended to send Farrar under almost any circumstance in order to get the Penguins (3-21) the win.

“There was no doubt,” Bertolini said. “Even if they caught it, I was going to wave him in. We’re trying to score on contact in that situation in any inning. On contact, our heads are down and we’re trying to score.”

Farrar knew his job was to get to the plate as quickly as possible.

“I had zero doubt I was going to score,” Farrar said. “They put me on the basepaths for a reason. I have to do my job.”

Dylan Swarmer led off the 10th with a single then gave way to Farrar, who stole second after getting such a big jump on the attempt that the Pittsburgh middle infielders didn’t move. Catcher Cole MacLaren was looking to throw, but held the ball.

“[The middle infielders] didn’t even say anything,” Farrar said. “I knew I had that good of a jump. I thought [the pitcher] was going to step off, but he was so into what he was doing, he wasn’t going to interrupt his rhythm.”

Glasser took the box with two outs and Farrar on second.

“I was trying to hit the middle,” Glasser said. “I told myself I wasn’t going to get beat by [reliever Dan Hammer]. I knew he had a really good curveball. I was just trying to get a pitch I could hit.”

Jeff Wehler erased a 2-0 deficit for YSU with a two-run homer in the fourth.

Pitt (7-16) had gone ahead, 2-0, in the second, but five YSU hurlers combined to hold the Panthers scoreless over the final eight innings.