Box Score Struthers, Ohio -- Walsh scored six runs
in the fifth inning and held on late to defeat the Youngstown State
baseball team 10-8 on Tuesday afternoon at Cene Park.
The six-run inning put the Cavaliers up 9-2, but the Penguins
kept fighting and had the winning run at the plate in the
ninth.
Joe Iacobucci went 4-for-5 with two RBIs for Youngstown State,
which outhit Walsh 16-14. Tyler Jones and R.J. Vukovich both had
three hits, and Tim Stinson drove in three for the Cavaliers, who
improved to 14-11.
Walsh took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning off YSU starter
Nic Manuppelli. Marc Miller led off with a double down the left
field line, and he scored after a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice
fly.
YSU tied the score in the third when Craig Goubeaux singled and
scored on Phil Lipari's ground out.
Walsh took a 3-1 advantage with two runs in the top of the
fourth, but Neil Schroth's RBI double to right in the bottom half
cut the margin to 3-2.
The Cavaliers blew the game open with six runs on six hits in
the fifth to go up 9-2. YSU scored twice in the bottom of the fifth
on an RBI double from Jeremy Banks and Iacobucci's RBI single off
the pitcher.
A sacrifice fly put Walsh ahead 10-4 in the top of the eighth,
and two Youngstown State runs in the bottom half cut the margin to
10-6. Padraic Williams had an RBI double to right, and Iacobucci
drove him in with his fourth hit of the contest. Both of those runs
scored after there were two outs.
The Penguins set the stage early in the ninth when a walk,
single and wild pitch put runners on second and third with nobody
out. Goubeaux brought in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Armani
Johnson reached on an infield single to put the tying run at the
plate. Johnson was tagged out at second on a double steal attempt
that allowed Chris Mitko to score and make the margin just 10-8.
Phil Lipari walked and Padraic Williams singled to put the tying
run on, but Banks flied out to center to end the game.
Manuppelli allowed three runs on six hits in four innings to be
charged with the loss. Five of the runs were charged to Cody
Dearth, who started the fifth inning for YSU.
Ian Drapcho allowed four runs on eight hits in four innings to
earn the win for Walsh. Eric Shimko came on to retire the final two
batters in the ninth to earn his first save.
In addition to Iacobucci's three hits, Williams had three and
Banks, Goubeaux and Johnson had two apiece.
YSU will play its Eastwood Field opener on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
against Niagara.