YSU Opens 2011 Campaign at Phoenix Leadoff Classic; Face Kent State, Elon
2/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Head Coach Brian Campbell Video
The Youngstown State softball team opens the 2011 season at the Phoenix Leadoff Classic host by Elon, Feb. 12-13, in Elon, N.C. The Guins will play four games in two days beginning with a match up against in-state rival Kent State, Feb. 12, at 11 a.m. The Guins will then face Elon at 1:15 p.m. On Sunday, Feb. 13, the Guins battle Kent State at 11 a.m. and Elon at 3:30 p.m.
The Penguins return 11 letterwinners and eight starters from last season's squad that went 14-36. Although the Guins have plenty of experience in the field and at the plate, they only have one returning pitcher - Hana Somogyi - from last season's team. Somogyi totaled 49.2 innings pitched during her freshman campaign.
The 2010 team set the school record for highest team batting average with a .296 clip. It also set the single-season record for most hits (402) and tied the record for most home runs in a season (39).
Junior Haley Thomas was a tough out all of 2010, batting a team-best .370 with a .648 slugging percentage. Thomas led the team with 24 extra-base hits and set the single-season record with 41 runs scored.
Rumph Named to Horizon League All-Newcomer Team
Last season, sophomore Vicky Rumph was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team after batting .327 with six doubles, eight home runs and 26 runs batted in. Rumph tied for the team lead in home runs and was tied for second on the team in runs batted in.
Year of the O in 2010
The Penguins had one of their best offensive seasons in school history in 2010 and nearly doubled their win total from the previous season. The Penguins set the school record for highest team batting average (.296) and most hits in a season (402) and tied the school mark for most home runs in a season (39). The Guins also scored the second-highest number of runs in school history (217) and also drove in the second-highest number of runs (188) in a season.
Up Next
The Penguins take a weekend off then return to the road for four games at the North Carolina Central Tournament, Feb. 26-27. The Guins will face North Carolina Central and Delaware State on Feb. 26, and Siena and South Carolina State on Feb. 27.
Klonowski Fifth on HR Chart
With seven home runs last season, senior Kim Klonowski moved into fifth place on the YSU all-time home run chart with 16. She belted one as a freshman and eight as a sophomore. She needs four more to move into a tie for fourth with Amanda Berry, who hit 17 from 2001-04.
Haley's Comet
Junior Haley Thomas had one of the best overall offensive seasons in school history last season. Thomas led the team with a .370 batting average and six triples, but also tied for the team lead with eight home runs. Thomas also set the school mark for most runs in a single-season with 41.
Philen Showed Tremendous Improvement
Junior Kristen Philen may have shown the most improvement on the team from 2009 to 2010. Philen increased her batting average by 117 points from .200 to .317, drove in 10 more runs (12 to 22), hit four more doubles (six to 10) and hit more home runs (two to three).
