Canfield, Ohio -- Sophomore Haley Thomas set three school single-game records and tied another and the Youngstown State softball team (14-31) set a team record with with six home runs in 15-10 win over Niagara in game one of a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at McCune Park. The Penguins dropped game two, 12-2.
Thomas set single-game records with three home runs in a game, two home runs in an inning, five runs batted in in an inning and tied the single-game record with six RBIs.
Thomas belted two home runs - a solo shot and a grand slam - and drove in five runs in the bottom of the first inning, which the Penguins sent 11 batters to the plate and scored eight runs to take an 8-1 lead.
The Purple Eagles chipped away at the Penguins' seven-run edge with two runs in the second, four in the third and took a 10-8 lead with three in the top of the fifth.
After being held scoreless for three innings, the Penguins regained the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior Kim Klonowski belted a two-run blast to left field to tie the game at 10-10, and sophomore Amanda Palmore belted a two-out, two-run to right-center field to put the Guins ahead for good, 12-10.
Thomas cranked her record-breaking home run - another solo shot - over the scoreboard in right-center field to lead off the bottom of the sixth to put the Guins ahead 13-10. Klonowski , who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, finished off the scoring with her second home run of the game with a two-run blast to left field.
In the night cap, the Penguins were held to just three hits but two of those were back-to-back home runs by Palmore and senior Kristina Davidson, who belted her first career home run in her final home college softball game.
The Penguins visit Valparaiso in a three-game series, May 1-2, in Valparaiso, Ind. First pitch on Saturday is schedule for 2 p.m. (EDT).
