Swenson, Healey Break Records in YSU's 15-5 Win in Game One

Friday, May 14

1 pm

Youngstown State University

21-26, 9-11

Valparaiso

20-28, 7-8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Youngstown State	5	3	0	0	1	2	3	0	1	15	18	1
Valparaiso	0	0	0	2	0	0	3	0	0	5	9	1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Youngstown State	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	7	4
Valparaiso	0	0	6	2	1	4	0	1	X	14	20	1

Swenson, Healey Break Records in YSU's 15-5 Win in Game One

5/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Valparaiso, Ind. -- Youngstown State seniors Aaron Swenson and Jacke Healey both broke school records, and the Penguins' baseball team used a hot start to defeat Valparaiso 15-5 in game one of Friday's doubleheader at Emory G. Bauer Field.

Swenson established a new school record for career strikeouts, and Healey broke the single season home runs record. Both played big parts in YSU's victory as Swenson allowed one hit through the first six innings, and Healey had a game-high four hits.

Swenson struck out 10 Crusaders to bring his career total to 254. He moved in front of Major League pitchers Dave Dravecky (251 from 1975-78) and Justin Thomas (250 from 2003-05). Healey now has 12 home runs this season, which is one more than Adam Cox hit in 2003 and Joe Ayette hit in 1994.

The Penguins scored 15 runs on 18 hits, both of which were their highest totals since scoring 22 runs on 23 hits on April 7 against Duquesne. Immediately after that game against Duquesne, Valpo held YSU to 12 runs on 21 hits over a three-game series.

Swenson got nearly all the support he needed before he even took the mound as the Penguins jumped on Valparaiso starter Jon Gulbransen for five runs on five hits in the first inning. YSU also had three runs in the second and were never threatened the rest of the way.

After back-to-back doubles from Healey and Tom Clayton in the first, Joe Iacobucci hit a two-run single to put the Penguins on the board. Eric Marzec followed with his first of three hits to put two runners on, and C.J. Morris hit a three-run homer with two outs later in the inning to make the score 5-0.

Marzec hit a three-run triple in the second to put YSU up 8-0 after Gulbransen retired two of the first three hitters. Neil Schroth led off with a single, and Carr's sacrifice bunt moved him to second. Healey struck out for the second out of the inning, but Clayton was hit by a pitch and Iacobucci walked to set the table for Marzec's triple.

Swenson did not allow a hit until Ryan O'Gara's two-run home run in the fourth. By that time the senior righty had already fanned seven hitters, including five straight from the first to the third innings.

Jeremy Banks went deep to lead off the top of the fifth, Clayton followed suit to start the sixth, and Marzec added an unearned run in the sixth to put YSU ahead 11-2. Clayton, Marzec and Banks all drove in runs in the seventh to make the score 14-2.

Valpo finally figured out Swenson in the seventh with three runs on five hits, but it was too little too late. O'Gara led off with a single, and Robbie Robinson hit an opposite-field homer to make the score 14-4. Kyle Muhlsteff added an RBI double later in the inning.

Healey's record-breaking blast to left center came with one out in the ninth inning.

Swenson improved to 7-1 with the victory. He became the first pitcher since Thomas in 2005 to earn seven wins in a season. Kevin McCulloh and Anthony Munoz both threw scoreless innings in relief.

Gulbransen allowed nine runs on 11 hits in five innings to drop to 4-5 on the season. Each of Valpo's three relievers also gave up at least one run.