Youngstown State University
25-25
Northern Kentucky
24-22
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Kentucky | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Youngstown State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | X | 4 | 7 | 2 |
Three-Run Fifth Leads Softball Past Northern Kentucky, 4-2, to Advance in Horizon League Championship
5/9/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Chicago, Ill -- The Youngstown State softball team used a three-run fifth inning en route to a 4-2 win over Northern Kentucky and staved off elimination in the 2018 Horizon League Championship. The Penguins will play at 6 p.m. on Thursday against an opponent yet to be determined.
With the win, the Penguins improve to 25-25 overall while the Norse end the season with a record of 24-22.
Junior Lexi Zappitelli went 2-for-3 with a run scored and drove in another to lead the Penguins offensively.
Freshman Elle Buffenbarger picked up her 10th win of the season and struck out five in five innings. She becomes the third straight YSU freshman pitcher to post at least 10 victories in a season.
Youngstown State got on the board in the bottom of the first - after a two-hour and 17-minute weather delay, when Maddi Lusk tripled down the right-field line to plate Zappitelli with the game's first run.
NKU plated runs in the top of the fourth and fifth innings to take a 2-1 lead before the Penguins exploded for three runs in the bottom half of the fifth.
Sophomore Tatum Christy, freshman Milena Lacatena and senior Alexis Roach recorded three straight hits and Christy scored on Roach's single through the left side to tie the game at 2-2. Pinch-runner Hannah Lucas and Roach stole third and second, and Lucas scored on an errant throw to put YSU up 3-2. Roach scored from third on Zappitelli's bunt single.
Paige Geanangel slammed the door on the Norse by throwing two innings of scoreless, hitless relief and retiring six straight batters.
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Buffenbarger, Elle (10-7)
L: GINTHER, Taylor (9-11)
S: Geanangel, Paige (3)
Batting:
RBI: BRUMMELL, Taylor 1 ; WHITMER, Hailey 1
SH: LAWSON, Ava 1 ; ROSSITER, Kailey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LAWSON, Ava 1 ; MULDER, Madi 1
Batting:
3B: Lusk, Maddi 1
RBI: Zappitelli, Lexi 1 ; Lusk, Maddi 1 ; Roach, Alexis 1
SH: Saibene, Nikki 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zappitelli, Lexi 1 ; Christy, Tatum 1 ; Lucas, Hannah 1 ; Roach, Alexis 1
SB: Lucas, Hannah 1 ; Roach, Alexis 1
HBP: Roach, Alexis 1
