The Youngstown State baseball team scored seven consecutive runs to overcome a three-run deficit and held on for a 12-11 victory over Milwaukee in the regular season finale for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Franklin Field in Franklin, Wis.
The Penguins trailed 3-0 and 7-4 before scoring in each of their final four at bats to take a 12-8 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. YSU closer Chris Domke issued a pair of walks around a pop up before Tai Walton hit a three-run home run down the left field line to pull the Panthers within a run. YSU's freshman right-hander bounced back with a strikeout of Gabe Roessler before getting Andrew Jiminez to ground out to third to end the game.
Youngstown State closes the 2024 regular season at 12-42 overall and 9-21 in Horizon League play while Milwaukee drops to 18-34 overall and finishes the season with a 13-17 mark in league action.
Alejandro Covas went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to pace four Penguins with multiple hits while Chase Franken hit his fourth home run of the season. Matt Thompson went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI while RJ Sherwood had two hits, drove in a run and scored three times.
YSU starter Sloan Ulrich allowed four runs on six hits over three innings in a no-decision. Colin Casteel was responsible for one run in one inning as the first of six relievers to appear for the Penguins. Gavin Wilms struck out five batters over two scoreless innings to earn his first-career victory.
Milwaukee took an early lead with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning. Roessler and Justin Hausser hit back-to-back singles before Tyler Bickers brought both runners home with a double to right center. Sean Tillmon drove in Bickers with a two-out RBI single to put the Panthers in front 3-0.
Youngstown State cut Milwaukee's lead to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Sherwood hit a one-out double and scored on a sacrifice fly from Eli Brown. Trey Law walked and came around to score on a two-out RBI double by Covas.
The Panthers added a single run in the bottom of the third as Carson Hansen hit a two-out double and scored on a throwing error following an infield single by Zach Lane.
The Penguins pulled back within a run with a single tally of their own in the top of the fourth inning. Teddy Ruffner drew a leadoff walk and came around to score when Law reached on a fielder's choice.
Milwaukee increased its advantage to 5-3 in the home half of the fourth when pinch runner Q Phillips raced home from third on a wild pitch.
YSU pushed across another single run in the top of the fifth to draw within 5-4. Thompson was hit by a pitch and scored on a throwing error following a sacrifice bunt by Franken.
The Panthers got their lead back to three runs at 7-4 with a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the fifth. A single and two walks loaded the bases to set up a two-out, two-run double to left center by Phillips.
The Penguins answered with three runs in the top of the sixth to even the score at 7-7. Sherwood was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and Law followed with a walk. Covas brought home Sherwood with an RBI single, Ian Francis plated Law with an RBI groundout and Thompson drove in Covas with a two-out RBI double.
Youngstown State took its first lead of the game in the top of the seventh. Franken drew a leadoff walk and scored on an RBI double to left field by Sherwood. After Sherwood advanced to third on a wild pitch, he sprinted home on a foul out by Brown to give the Guins a 9-7 edge.
The Penguins pushed their advantage to 11-7 with two more runs in the top of the eighth. Jack Johnson drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a single by Thompson and scored when pinch hitter Vince D'Eusanio grounded into a double play. Franken then belted his fourth home run of the season over the wall in left field.
The Panthers scored once in the bottom of the eighth as Roessler hit a leadoff single, advanced to second on a two-out error and scored on double from Lane. YSU got the run back in the top of the ninth when D'Eusanio was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Milwaukee starter Owen Rice surrendered two runs on three hits with four punch outs in 2.2 innings of work. Riley Peterson was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs over two innings out of the bullpen.
Youngstown State will now turn its attention to the 2024 Horizon League Baseball Championship, which will begin on Wednesday at Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton, Ohio. The sixth-seeded Penguins will face the third-seeded Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the tournament's opening round.
