April 21, 2012

Softball Hits Three Home Runs to Beat Wright State 10-2 in Five Innings

Canfield, Ohio -- Senior outfielder Haley Thomas was 3-for-4 and hit one of Youngstown State's three home runs as the Penguins softball team beat Wright State 10-2 in five innings in the first game of a three-game series on a rainy Saturday at McCune Park.

After one game of a scheduled doubleheader was cancelled and the start time was delayed by nearly five hours due to rain, YSU's offense didn't take long to get going. Sarah Ingalls hit a two-run homer to put the Guins ahead in the second inning, and Samantha Snodgrass hit a three-run homer as part of a four-run third.

That was all the cushion starter Casey Crozier needed for the Penguins. She allowed two runs on three hits while striking out three in the five-inning victory. The sophomore improved to 12-5 on the year with the win, and the Penguins upped their record to 25-12-1 overall and 9-7 in Horizon League play. Wright State dropped to 19-25 overall and 7-9 in conference play.

After Crozier allowed a two-run home run with two outs in the fourth to Wright State cleanup batter Kacie Rapshus, Thomas answered with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning that gave the Penguins an 8-2 lead. Sarah Gabel singled in Vicky Rumph later in the inning to make the score 9-2, and Thomas bought in the clinching run by driving in Kelly Fox with a one-out single in the fifth.

The Penguins and Raiders are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Sunday starting at noon.