YSU comeback falls short against UMW
Staff report
NILES
The Youngstown State baseball team scored the final eight runs of the game including four in the ninth inning to mount a major comeback bid, but ultimately fell 11-10 to Milwaukee in the opener of a three-game series on Thursday afternoon at Eastwood Field.
YSU scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth but Milwaukee closer Jake Sommers came on to get a game-ending strikeout with the tying run on second base.
Milwaukee (30-18-1, 16-10 Horizon League) built a comfortable 11-2 lead with a six-run third and a two-run fourth. YSU chipped away at the deficit with two runs in the fourth and one each in the sixth and seventh to set up the ninth-inning drama.
Both teams had 12 hits but early errors proved costly for YSU (12-38, 6-18) as Milwaukee scored eight unearned runs over the first four innings as a result of Penguins’ miscues.
Grant Kersh allowed only three hits and retired 15 of the 18 batters he faced over five scoreless innings of relief.
Phillip Glasser’s stolen base in the bottom of the first inning gave YSU its 105th stolen base of the season to set a new single-season school record. The previous team steals record of 104 was set in 1970. The Penguins stole three bases to push their total to 107.
With the score 11-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Jeff Wehler delivered a bases-clearing double to right field, and Trevor Wiersma followed with an RBI single to put the tying run on base. Pinch runner Cameron Murray got into scoring position on a wild pitch, but Sommers stuck out Drew Dickerson looking on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.
Steven D’Eusanio and Wiersma each had three hits for the Penguins, and Wiersma scored three times. Wehler and Drew Dickerson had two hits apiece.
Tyler Bordner had three hits and four RBIs for the Panthers.
YSU starter Colin Clark took the loss after allowing 11 runs, only three of which were earned, on nine hits over four innings. The sophomore left-hander also registered five strikeouts in his four innings of work.
Jared Reklaitis was responsible for five runs on eight hits over six innings in his eighth victory of the season. Jack Mahoney surrendered five runs on three hits over 22/3 innings of relief. Alex McIntosh allowed Wiermsa’s RBI single in the ninth before giving way to Sommers, who earned his ninth save.
The Penguins and Panthers will play the second game of their three-game Horizon League series today at 11 a.m. It will be Kids Day presented by Akron Children’s Hospital with area students in attendance.