Softball Drops 9-7 Decision to Valparaiso

Friday, May 1

4 pm

Youngstown State University

18-29, 7-11

Valparaiso

13-33, 7-11

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

5/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

Valparaiso, Ind. -- Maria Lacatena went 3-for-3 with two runs batted in and Sarah Dowd hit her 10th home run of the year, but the Youngstown State softball team dropped a 9-7 decision to Horizon League foe Valparaiso on Friday afternoon.

With the loss, the Penguins fall to 18-29 overall and 7-11 in the Horizon League while the Crusaders improve to 13-33 and 7-11 in league play.

The Crusaders jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after one inning, but Lacatena drove in a pair of runs in the top of the second to knot the game at 2-2. Alexandria Gibson singled and Cali Mikovich doubled to put runners at second and third with no out. After a strikeout and a walk to Kelly Thompson-Cappadocio loaded the bases, Lacatena ripped a single down the left-field line to score Gibson and Mikovich.

In the bottom the third, Valparaiso capitalized on two YSU errors and scored five runs to take a 7-2 lead.

Dowd's three-run home run in the top of the fourth cut the Crusaders lead down to 7-5. Dowd is just the fifth player in school history to hit at least 10 home runs in one season. The last YSU player to hit 10 home runs in a year was Miranda Castiglione in 2014.

Valpo added runs in the fourth and fifth innings to push its lead to 9-5 before senior Kayla Haslett doubled home pinch-runner Alexis Roach with a double and then scored on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh.

The Penguins and Crusaders will play a doubleheader, Saturday, starting at Noon EDT.