The First Pitch
The Youngstown State softball team (14-12, 2-1 HL) returns home to host Northern Kentucky in a crucial three-game Horizon League series, March 27-28, at the YSU Softball Field. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m. while Saturday's doubleheader is slated for a 1 p.m. start.
Last Time Out
The Penguins split a mid-week, non-conference doubleheader at Niagara on March 24. The Penguins dropped the opener, 6-5, and won the nightcap, 9-1. In the loss, junior Selah Moyer tied the single-game record with three doubles and also drove in four runs. In game two, freshman Leila Staszak drove in a career-high four runs while Bella Meyer, Emma Gilkerson and Bree Kohler each had two hits. Kennedy Dean belted a two-run home run, and sophomore Kelsey Ogin struck out two in a complete-game three-hitter.
Up Next
Youngstown State plays a pair of mid-week doublheaders - at Mercyhurst on March 31 3 p.m. and hosting Bowling Green on April 1 at 3 p.m. - before visiting Robert Morris for a three-game league series, April 3-4, in Moon Township, Pa.
About Northern Kentucky
Northern Kentucky enters the series with an overall record of 13-14 and is tied with the Penguins in the standings at 2-1 in league play. Kenzie Gulley leads the Norse with a batting average of .379 while Peyton Mueller-Stenz is batting .317. Makaree Chapman leads the staff with five victories.
The Northern Kentucky Series
Youngstown State and Northern Kentucky have met 33 times previously and the Norse own a slim 17-16 advantage in the all-time series. Youngstown State owns a 5-5 record against the Norse over the last 10 contests.
Penguins' Bats Alive
Overall, Youngstown State is batting .322 as a team and has seven players hitting .311 or better. Junior Lydia Wilkerson leads the Penguins with .390 with six doubles, three home runs and 19 runs batted in. Senior Kennedy Dean is batting .351 with four homers and 23 runs batted in. Selah Moyer leads the team with 28 RBIs and has a .351 average while Emma Gilkerson boasts a .341 average and a team-high six homers.
Campbell Reaches Career Win 700
Head Coach Brian Campbell, the winningest coach in program history with 418 wins, picked up the 700th victory of his coaching career in the Penguins' 4-3 win over Le Moyne on March 7 and now has 703 wins . Campbell is a three-time Horizon League Coach of the Year winning the award in 2012, 2021, and 2024. He led the Penguins to a 20-4 Horizon League record and tied the program single-season wins record with 36 in 2024. In 2021, Campbell led the Penguins to the first regular-season conference championship in program history with a 36-15 overall record and a 28-8 mark in league play. He has led the Penguins to six 30-win seasons and is the only coach in school history to win at least 30 games in consecutive seasons - 2021, 2022 and 2016, 2017.
Home Sweet Home
Since the Penguins began playing their home games at the YSU Softball Field in 2014, they have found a lot of success in their home ballpark. Youngstown State is 135-76 in 211 games in its on-campus facility for a .639 winning percentage. YSU secured its 100th victory at the complex with a 5-2 victory over Green Bay on April 23, 2022. Youngstown State has a 90-47 mark (.657) in Horizon League regular-season games played at the YSU Softball Field. Since 2021, the Penguins are 50-21 in conference regular-season contests played on their turf.
Selah Say Less
Over the last five games, Youngstown State junior Selah Moyer has been on a tear. Moyer batted .583 with two home runs, three doubles and 13 RBIs and led the Penguins to a 3-2 record mark. She tied a YSU single-game record with three doubles against Niagara on March 24. On the season, Moyer is batting .351with seven doubles, five home runs and a team-high 28 runs batted in, which rank third in the Horizon League.
Dean Dominating
Youngstown State senior Kennedy Dean is off to an explosive start for the Penguins. The Winfield, W.Va. native owns .351 batting average and has seven doubles, four home runs and 23 runs batted in.
