Box Score
The Youngstown State baseball team could not muster enough offense in a 5-1 loss to Belmont on Saturday evening at E.S. Rose Park.
The Penguins had just one hit through three innings and would finish with only five on the night. The loss drops YSU to 1-1 after winning the season opener for both teams on Friday.
Connor Etheridge threw six solid innings for the Bruins, allowing just four hits and one run on his way to earning the victory. Collin Floyd pitched four innings in a losing effort for YSU, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out five.
Zach Lopatka went 2-for-4 with two singles and scored YSU's only run of the game. Lou Cardona, Cody Dennis, Drew Dickerson and Blaze Glenn all recorded singles and Glenn added an RBI.
Belmont took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning with back-to-back RBI singles by Chas Hadden and Devon Gardner.
YSU would threaten in the sixth when Lopatka led off the inning with a single. Lopatka stole second with one out and advanced to third on a single to center by Cardona. Glenn would then drive Lopatka home with a two-out RBI single to left field which cut Belmont's advantage to 2-1.
Lucas Nasonti, who pinch ran for Cardona, was caught trying to steal third during the ensuing at-bat to end the threat.
Drew Dickerson and Cody Dennis each singled for YSU in the seventh, but the Penguins were unable to push a run across as Dickerson was stranded at third. Youngstown State left a total of seven runners on base for the game.
The Bruins would add to their lead in bottom of the seventh when Jordan Henshaw led off the inning with a solo home run to right field. Belmont would add another insurance run later in the inning when Matt Cogen scored on a wild pitch by Austin Butler.
Austin Reynolds scored on a fielding error by the Penguins in the bottom of the eighth to push Belmont's lead to 5-1. Logan Bowen shut the door with two scoreless innings to earn the save and secure Belmont's first win of the season.
Youngstown State and Belmont will play the rubber match of their three-game series on Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern.
