Steven D'Eusanio and Braeden O'Shaughnessy each hit home runs as the Youngstown State baseball team fell 10-5 to Illinois on Saturday at David F. Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The Fighting Illini got a three-run home run from Jacob Schroeder in the top of the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie before adding five runs in the eighth to pull away. YSU falls to 0-3 on the season while Illinois improves to 2-0. The Fighting Illini earned their second win over the Penguins on opening weekend after also winning 9-6 in the season opener for both teams on Friday.
D'Eusanio and Braeden O'Shaughnessy each hit their first home run of the 2023 season. D'Eusanio went 3-for-5 with a double and the 20th home run of his career. The Willoughby, Ohio, native became the 10th player in program history to reach 20 career homers.
Braeden O'Shaughnessy finished the game 2-for-4 with a single, a home run and a walk. Freshman Clay Wiesen went 1-for-3 with a single, a walk and a run scored in his first collegiate start. The Hermitage, Pa., native singled in the first at bat of his career. Padraig O'Shaughnessy was 1-for-3 with a two-run double and a pair of walks.
YSU starter Nick Perez took the loss after allowing five runs on six hits and matching his career high with seven strikeouts over five innings. Perez recorded a strikeout in four different frames, and he struck out the side in the first inning. Kenny Misik retired both the batters he faced in the sixth while Brandin Anderson struck out both hitters he faced.
Braden Gebhardt was responsible for one run in two thirds of an inning while Patrick Gumto was charged with three runs on two hits in one third of an inning. Casey Marshalwitz tossed two thirds of an inning before his brother Cam Marshalwitz worked a scoreless ninth inning in his first collegiate appearance.
The Penguins jumped in front 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning when Braeden O'Shaughnessy hit his first home run of the season over the wall in left field. The Fighting Illini answered with a solo home run from Camden Janik in the top of the second inning to even the score at 1-1.
Illinois took a 2-1 advantage in the top of the third inning when Danny Doligale drew a leadoff walk and scored on a one-out RBI double by Drake Westcott. YSU responded immediately in the bottom half of the frame as D'Eusanio hit a two-out solo home run to right field to tie the contest at 2-2.
The score remained the same until the Fighting Illinois scored three runs on two hits in the top of the sixth inning. Janik hit a leadoff single, Brody Harding drew a walk and Schroeder followed with a three-run blast to right center to give Illinois a 5-2 edge.
Youngstown State loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth but was only able to come away with one run. Wiesen drew a walk, pinch hitter Chase Franken reached on a fielder's choice and Ian Francis was hit by a pitch to set up a bases-loaded walk by Trey Law that cut Illinois' lead to 5-3.
Illinois added five runs on four hits in the top of the eighth inning as Branden Comia, Cam McDonald and Ryan Moerman each had run-scoring hits during the rally.
YSU plated two runs on two hits in the bottom of the ninth to produce the final margin. Turner Grau drew a one-out walk and Braeden O'Shaughnessy singled before Padraig O'Shaughnessy delivered a two-out, two-run double to right center field.
Doligale, Westcott, Janik and Schroeder each had two hits as the Fighting Illini outhit the Penguins 10-7. YSU also stranded 10 runners on base during the contest.
Illinois starter Jack Wenninger surrendered two runs on four hits and fanned 11 batters over five innings to earn the victory. Joe Glassey allowed three runs on three hits over 3.2 innings of relief before John Lundgren came on to record the final out of the game.
Youngstown State will conclude opening weekend on Sunday with a contest against No. 6 Wake Forest at 8:30 a.m. The game will be broadcast live on YSNLive.com.
