Box Score Struthers, Ohio -- Josh Page homered and had four of
Youngstown State's 17 hits as the Penguins defeated Niagara 13-3 on
a sunny Tuesday afternoon at Cene Park.
Page's solo shot off the left field foul pole ignited an 11-run
outburst for YSU in the third and fourth innings. The Penguins
batted around in both innings, scoring four runs on six hits in the
third and seven runs on eight hits in the fourth.
The game was called after Niagara failed to cut the margin to 10
runs in the top of the seventh.
Adam Kalafos went the distance for YSU, allowing the three runs
on five hits while striking out nine in seven innings. He struck
out five straight batters in the second and third innings and had
six through three frames.
"Adam has been throwing the ball really well the last couple of
outings, and today he really put it all together," YSU head coach
Rich Pasquale said. "He kept their guys off balance, and he stayed
right with our plan.
"The offense was aggressive and made them throw strikes. We were
very smart at the plate."
Niagara starter Bill Rafferty allowed one hit through two
innings and worked out of a jam in the second before Page's homer
sparked the offense with one out in the third. Rafferty retired the
next batter, but the next five hitters all singled to account for
three more runs.
The Penguins then blew the game open with an 11-0 lead in the
fourth as five different players had RBIs. Jason Reitenbach singled
twice in the inning, and the floodgates opened when reliever Brad
Lueck threw wildly to first as Page attempted to sacrifice
Reitenbach to third with nobody out.
After a long wait, Kalafos was tagged for two runs on two hits
and two walks in the fifth before C.J. Morris's two-run single in
the bottom half made the score 13-2. A leadoff double and sacrifice
fly in the sixth resulted in the final margin.
Rafferty was charged with the loss for Niagara, allowing four
runs on seven hits in three innings.
Erich Diedrich and Tom Clayton scored three times apiece, and
Diedrich, Joe Iacobucci, Eric Marzec, Mike Turjanica and Reitenbach
all had two hits.
Page, a fifth-year senior, now has three home runs in his last
13 games after having just one in the first 164 contests of his
career.
The Penguins will play Ohio on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Eastwood
Field.