Horizon League Baseball Championship Game Three: Valparaiso gets past Youngstown State 3-2

May 21, 2008

Box Score

Championship Central

NILES, Ohio - Valparaiso University (20-33) defeated Youngstown State University (23-32) 3-2 and sent the Penguins to the loser's bracket of the Horizon League Baseball Championship presented by the U.S. Army. Valpo will meet the University of Illinois at Chicago on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Youngstown State also returns to action on Thursday against Cleveland State University at 11:00 a.m.

Sophomore right-hander Austin Siwiec picked up the win for Valparaiso and moved to 2-0 on the year. Youngstown State left-hander Craig Gillet took the loss and fell to 1-3. Valpo's Jarad Miller earned his second save of the tournament and his ninth this season as he came on to work the ninth inning.

Freshman Jon Gulbransen started the game for the Crusaders and worked 7.0 innings allowing just one earned run. YSU starter and 2008 Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Aaron Swenson, pitched 6.2 innings, allowed one earned run, struck out three and allowed a season-high four walks.

Valparaiso plated two runs in the final two innings, scoring once in the eighth and then again in the ninth to secure the win. Youngstown State led 2-0 through three innings, but Valpo's pitching staff held YSU without a hit through the final four innings.

The Crusaders left 11 runners on base and overcame four errors to defeat the Penguins for the third time this season. In addition Valpo out hit the YSU 12-5.

Valparaiso sophomore Josh Wallace continued to swing a hot bat as he got the Crusaders on the board with a solo home run to right field in the sixth inning. Wallace's 11th round-tripper of the year came after the Crusaders left the bases loaded in the fourth and fifth innings. Wallace finished the day going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

The Crusaders then collected two runs on six hits in the final two frames off of YSU junior Craig Gillet.

In the ninth inning, Youngstown State put two runners on with two outs on a walk and an error, but Miller got senior Erich Diedrich to hit a fly ball to centerfield, which ended the game.

The 2008 Horizon League Baseball Championship is being held at Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio. Single-day tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for senior citizens and youth, while all-tournament passes are $20 and $14, respectively. Students from all Horizon League institutions are free with a valid student identification card. Gates will open one hour prior to the first game each day.

For additional Horizon League baseball information, including the championship bracket, directions to Eastwood Field, GameTracker live statistics and game recaps, check out the official web site at www.horizonleague.org. For free, live video web casts of all games of the Horizon League Baseball Championship, log onto the Horizon League Network at www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv.