Youngstown State University
Arkansas - Pine Bluff
Softball Set for Eight Games on Spring Break Trip
3/6/2023 12:16:00 PM | Softball
| YOUNGSTOWN STATE at UAPB, Memphis and Murray State | |
|---|---|
| Games 1-2 | Tuesday, March 7 | 2 p.m. & 4 p.m. ET |
| Opponent | DH at Arkansas Pine-Bluff | Live Stats |
| Games 3-4 | Wednesday, March 8 | 2 p.m. & 4 p.m. ET |
| Opponent | DH at Memphis | Live Stats |
| Games 5-6 | Friday, March 10 | 11 a.m. & 4 p.m. ET |
| Opponent | vs. Illinois State |
| Opponent | at Murray State | Live Stats |
| Games 7-8 | Saturday, March 11 | 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. |
| Opponent | vs. Illinois State |
| Opponent | at Murray State | Live Stats |
| Live Tweets | @YSUSoftball | @YSUSports |
| Hashtags | #GoGuins | #HLSB |
| Mobile App | iOS Download | Android Download |
First Pitch
As Youngstown State University enters spring break this week, the YSU softball team is scheduled to play eight contests in three different states over a five-day stretch. The Penguins will begin their busy week with consecutive days of doubleheaders at Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Memphis, and they'll also play four games in two days at Murray State's 2023 Racer Classic.
The Penguins and Lady Lions of UAPB will play a doubleheader on Tuesday beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern, and YSU will travel to Memphis to play another doubleheader on Wednesday starting at 2 p.m. Eastern. On Friday at the Racer Classic, the Penguins will take on Illinois State at 11 a.m. Eastern and Murray State at 4 p.m. Eastern, and YSU will play the same teams again on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Eastern.
Live stats links for all eight contests this week will be available on YSUsports.com.
Last Time Out
Youngstown State went 2-2 in four games at Lipscomb's Purple & Gold Challenge over the weekend. YSU dropped a pair of one-run games on Saturday but bounced back to win twice on Sunday in its last at bat.
On Saturday, the Penguins fell 2-1 in eight innings against Saint Louis and 5-4 to Lipscomb. On Sunday, YSU topped Providence 5-2 by scoring three runs in the top of the seventh, and the Penguins beat Saint Louis 9-8 with a walk-off win in nine innings.
Sara Fessler led the Penguins in the batter's box with a .364 average last week, going 4-for-11 with a pair of doubles and six walks. Conchetta Rinaldi batted .357 with a homer and a team-high five RBIs, and she provided the winning sacrifice fly in the victory over Saint Louis on Sunday. Among the other Penguins who started all four games last week, Avrey Schumacher (.333) and Elyssa Imler (.300) also batted above .300.
In the circle, Sophie Howell earned the decision in relief in both victories on Sunday. She tossed six innings in the win over Providence, and she pitched the final three innings in the victory over Saint Louis. For the week, she went 2-0 with a 0.54 ERA, allowing one earned run in 13 innings. As a staff, Howell, Devan Ryan and Bree Kohler combined for a 2.57 ERA and struck out 29 batters in 30 innings.
News & Notes
Horizon League Team Rankings
Youngstown State leads the Horizon League with a 3.20 ERA through the first three weeks of the season. The Penguins have surrendered 37 earned runs in 81 innings. YSU also paces the conference with a .268 opponent's batting average.
Offensively, YSU ranks second in the circuit with a .225 batting average while also ranking second in on-base percentage (.313) and third in slugging percentage (.297).
Don't Mess With Fess
Junior Sara Fessler continues to be impressive for the Penguins in her first season at the Division I level. The transfer from Division II Ursuline College leads the team with a .395 batting average, five doubles, and nine runs scored. She has at least one hit in 10 of YSU's 12 games. Fessler ranks second in the Horizon League with her .395 batting average. She was a First-Team All Great Midwest Athletic Conference pick last sesaon when she batted .442 and posted an OPS of 1.203 for the Arrows.
Rinaldi RBI Ready
Senior Conchetta Rinaldi was Youngstown State's top RBI producer last season and ranked third in the Horizon League with 32. Rinaldi batted .271 with six home runs and tied for sixth in the league with 10 doubles. She leads the Penguins this season with 11 runs batted in, which ranks second in the conference. She has driven in a run in eight of YSU's first 12 contests of the season.
Ryan Impressive
Junior pitcher Devan Ryan has had an impressive start to the season for the Penguins. Ryan, who has a 2-3 record with a team-best 2-1 with a 1.81 earned-run average, collected her first career shutout by blanking Lafayette on Feb. 26. She picked up her first win as a Penguin in YSU's 6-4 win over Norfolk State. Ryan spent the first two seasons of her collegiate career at Indian River State College, and she was named the 2022 Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2022 when she went 10-4 with 10 saves and a 1.59 ERA.
Howell About That
Junior Sophie Howell picked up the win in relief in both games of YSU's doubleheader sweep of Providence and Saint Louis on March 5. Howell pitched the final six innings against the Friars and held the Big East opponent to one run on four hits while striking out eight. The junior right-hander then pitched the final three innings against the Billikens and did not allow an earned run while recording four punchouts. Last season in the circle, Howell picked up seven wins and recorded a 2.28 earned-run average, which ranked third in the Horizon League. She also ranked ninth in the league with 98 strikeouts. So far this season, Howell ranks second in the conference with 39 strikeouts in 34.1 innings
Turner Among Tops in Power Numbers
Senior Megan Turner was one of the top power hitters in the Horizon League last season. She belted eight home runs with 11 doubles and 28 runs batted in. Turner ranked fourth in home runs, fifth in doubles and sixth in RBIs.
Penguins Picked Fifth
Youngstown State has been predicted to finish fifth in the Horizon League after a preseason vote of the league's head coaches, the league announced on Feb. 8.
The Penguins, who received 50 points, are coming off their second straight 30-win campaign after going 32-24 overall and 17-9 in the Horizon League.
Oakland earned 77 points and eight first-place votes to earn the top spot in voting done by the League's head coaches while Robert Morris (68 points) was voted second in the poll, collecting one first-place vote.
Coming in third place was Cleveland State (61 points), and Green Bay earned 51 points to finish in fourth, just ahead of YSU in fifth (50 points). Northern Kentucky placed sixth in the poll with 43 points. IUPUI (22 points), Purdue Fort Wayne (20 points) and Detroit Mercy (13 points) rounded out the poll.
2023 #HLSB Preseason Poll Pl. Team – Pts. (First-place votes)
- Oakland (8) – 77
- RMU (1) – 68
- Cleveland State – 61
- Green Bay – 51
- Youngstown State – 50
- Northern Kentucky – 43
- IUPUI – 22
- Purdue Fort Wayne – 20
- Detroit Mercy – 13
