Clinton, S.C. -- The Youngstown State softball team dropped an 8-5 decision to Valparaiso on the last day of the Pinnacle PC Invitationalon Sunday.
With the loss, the Penguins fall to 7-3 on the season.
Jillian Jakse went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in while Sara Fessler went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
The Penguins scored in the bottom of the first inning on Taylor Truran's single through the left side that scored Jakse, and Hailey Niederkohr's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second plated Elyssa Imler, who walked, and gave the Penguins a 2-1 advantage.
Valparaiso plated five runs in the top of the third to take a 6-2 lead before Jakse's single to right scored Lydia Wilkerson to trim the deficit to 6-3 in the bottom half of the frame.
The Beacons plated a run in the top of the fifth to extend the lead back to four. Run-scoring singles by Jakse and Sydney Payne got the Penguins within two, 7-5, in the bottom half of the fifth, but Valpo added an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning.
Youngstown State is back in action at the East Carolina Tournament, March 1-3, in Greenville, N.C.
