The Youngstown State baseball team made a late push with six runs over its final two at bats, but ultimately came up short to Bowling Green by a final score of 12-9 on Tuesday at Steller Field in Bowling Green, Ohio.
The Falcons held an 11-3 advantage after seven innings, and the Penguins scored three runs in the top of the eighth to get within striking distance. After BGSU posted a single tally in the home half of the eighth to push its lead to 12-6, YSU continued to battle in the top of the ninth.
Matt Thompson reached with an infield single to start the inning, and Teddy Ruffner followed with an RBI double to left field. With the Penguins down to their final out, RJ Sherwood ripped an RBI double to left that scored Ruffner and brought YSU within 12-8. Sherwood raced home when Joe Suarez reached on an error and Brett Stanley was hit by a pitch to bring the potential tying run to the plate. BGSU's Isaiah Seidel came out of the bullpen and got Alejandro Covas to fly out to left field to end the game.
The Penguins more than doubled up the Falcons in the hit column, 15-7, but committed two more errors and issued seven more walks on the mound in the non-conference midweek contest.
Covas posted a career-high four hits, going 4-for-6 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Ruffner went 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored while Sherwood was 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBIs and three runs scored.
YSU starter Nick Perez suffered the loss after allowing five runs on three hits and four walks over 2.2 innings of work. Gavin Wilms, who was one of six relievers to appear for the Penguins, was responsible for five runs in a team-high 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.
The Falcons struck first with a single run in the bottom of the second inning. Leighton Banjoff hit a one-out double, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a two-out RBI single from Cooper McKenzie.
The Penguins evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the third when Sherwood hit a solo home run to left field.
Bowling Green scored four runs with two outs in the home half of the third to regain the lead. TJ Takats drew a bases-loaded walk before Perez handed the ball to Colin Casteel. Brady Birchmeier greeted Casteel with a three-run double to left field to give the Falcons a 5-1 advantage.
BGSU added pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to push its lead to 7-1. Takats drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on an error while McKenzie reached on a fielder's choice and scored on an RBI single from Caden Parker.
Youngstown State got back on the board with two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Covas hit a leadoff double, Thompson walked, and both runners scored on two-run single through the left side from Ruffner.
The Falcons responded with four runs in the home half of the sixth to increase its lead to 11-3. McKenzie drew a bases-loaded walk, Parker was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Nathan Archer added a two-out, two-run double.
The Penguins posted three runs in the top half of the eighth inning to cut BGSU's lead to 11-6. Ruffner drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a double by Vince D'Eusanio and scored on a sacrifice fly from Eli Brown. D'Eusanio scored on an error before Covas came through with an RBI single that plated Sherwood.
The Falcons scored their final run in the bottom of the eighth on a solo home run from Archer.
BGSU starter Perry Miller was awarded the victory after allowing one run on five hits over four innings on the bump. Seidel picked up the one-out save as the final of five relief pitchers to make an appearance for the Falcons.
The Penguins will continue their four-game road stretch on Friday with game one of a three-game Horizon League series at Purdue Fort Wayne. First pitch at Mastodon Field in Fort Wayne is slated for 3 p.m.
