Youngstown, Ohio – The Youngstown State softball team (9-26) tallied a total of 24 hits on its way to a non-conference doubleheader sweep of Mercyhurst (2-21), 10-2, 8-0, on Tuesday at the Covelli Sports Complex.
Sophomore outfielder Macy Littler went 5-for-8 on the day with two runs scored and a run batted in while freshman Ayla Ray was 4-for-6 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
In the opener, the Penguins hammered out 14 hits, paced by Kami Diaz's 3-for-3 performance. Senior Elyssa Imler went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, a home run and two RBIs while Littler, Bree Kohler, and Ray each had two hits.
Sophomore pitcher Autumn Behlke picked up her fourth win of the year, and Maci Boggess struck out four in two innings of scoreless relief.
Youngstown State plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Kohler ripped a one-out double and scored on a fielding error for the Penguins' first run. Ray scored on Imler's squeeze bunt and Lydia Wilkerson scored on Kennedy Dean's sacrifice fly.
The Lakers plated two runs in the top of the second, but the Penguins responded with one in the bottom half of the frame. Diaz led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on an error, moved to third on a wild pitch on scored on Littler's infield single.
Imler led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run, her first of the year, and Dean followed with a double. Diaz's single up the middle plated Dean and gave the Penguins a 6-2 lead after three innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Penguins put up three more runs to take a 9-2 advantage. Dean delivered her second sacrifice fly of the game to score Ray and Ashlyn Bishop's single scored Imler, who singled. Diaz, who singled, scored on a wild pitch to give the Penguins a seven-run edge.
Freshman Bella Meyer led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and a walk to Dean put runners on first and second. A fielder's choice by Reese Campbell-Schaller loaded the bases and Autumn Boyd's sacrifice fly plated Meyer and enforced the mercy rule.
In the night cap, freshman Kelsey Ogin struck out eight and allowed just two hits to pick up her fourth win.
Littler went 3-for-4 with two runs scored while Ray and Dean each went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Senior Taylor Truran hit a solo home run, her second of the season.
Ray delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the second to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead, and Truran's home run sparked a five-run fourth inning. Imler scored Littler on an infield single, and Kohler and Wilkerson scored on Dean's two-run double. Imler scored on a passed ball to five the Penguins a 7-0 lead.
Wilkerson ended the game in the fifth inning with a single to right-center.
Youngstown State hosts Purdue Fort Wayne in a three-game series starting Thursday, April 3. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the Covelli Sports Complex.
