The Youngstown State baseball team battled back from a six-run deficit to tie the game before falling 9-6 to Illinois in its 2023 season opener on Friday at David F. Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The Fighting Illini scored six runs over the first three innings to build a 6-0 advantage before the Penguins exploded for six runs in the top of the sixth to even the score. Illinois answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull away for the victory in the season opener for both teams.
Braeden O'Shaughnessy went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored to pace the Penguins offensively. Steven D'Eusanio and Padraig O'Shaughnessy each recorded an RBI single, RJ Sherwood and Ian Francis each hit a solo home run and Matt Thompson and Andre Good each drove in a run.
Eight different Illinois players recorded at least one hit as the Fighting Illini outhit the Penguins 9-8. Ryan Moerman went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs while Danny Doligale and Branden Comia each went deep.
The Penguins threatened in the top of the first inning as Trey Law and Turner Grau drew back-to-back walks before Braeden O'Shaughnessy hit an infield single to load the bases with nobody out. However, Illinois starter Riley Gowens was able to get a pair of strikeouts and a fielder's choice to get out of the jam unscathed.
The Fighting Illini jumped in front with four runs on five hits in the bottom half of the first inning. Comia hit a one-out solo home run before Cam McDonald followed with a double down the right field line. After a groundout, Moerman and Brody Harding delivered back-to-back two-out RBI doubles to give Illinois a 3-0 lead. Camden Janik then came through with an RBI single to push the advantage to 4-0.
Illinois pushed its lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the second inning when Doligale hit a one-out solo home run to right center. The Fighting Illini increased their edge to 6-0 in the bottom of the third as Drake Westcott hit a leadoff single and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Moerman.
Youngstown State evened the score with six runs on five hits and an error in the top of the sixth inning. Grau got the rally started by reaching on an error, and Braeden O'Shaughnessy followed with a single to center field. After Grau stole third, D'Eusanio and Padraig O'Shaughnessy delivered back-to-back RBI singles to cut Illinois' lead to four runs and chase Gowens from the game. Later in the frame, Thompson and Good each drove in a run with back-to-back RBI groundouts before Sherwood and Francis hit consecutive two-out solo home runs to tie the game 6-6.
The Fighting Illini regained the lead with three runs on one hit in the bottom half of the sixth. Gavin Bennett hit a one-out single before two straight walks loaded the bases. Casey Marshalwitz came on in relief of Will Shaffer, and proceeded to hit two consecutive batters to push across a pair of Illinois runs. Westcott then drove in a run as he reached on a fielder's choice to push Illinois' lead to 9-6.
YSU starter Travis Perry allowed six runs on seven hits with four strikeouts over five innings of work in a no-decision. Shaffer, who suffered the loss, was responsible for three runs over one third of an inning while Marshalwitz worked two thirds of an inning. True freshman Braden Gebhardt did not allow a hit and struck out three batters over two scoreless innings of relief in his first collegiate action.
Gowens allowed four runs on four hits and struck out 11 over five innings in a no-decision for the Fighting Illini. Ryan O'Hara was charged with one run on one hit in two thirds of an inning while TJ Constertina was awarded the victory after allowing one run on two hits in one inning of work. Alex Vera surrendered just one hit and struck out three batters over 2.1 scoreless innings of relief to earn the save.
Youngstown State will play No. 6 Wake Forest at 4 p.m. on Friday in its second game on opening day. The game will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra and YSNLive.com.
