Youngstown State Rallies to Capture #HLBB Tournament Title

The Youngstown State baseball team entered the Horizon League Baseball Tournament as the sixth-seed in a six-team tournament, but four wins later the Penguins were champions as Youngstown State captured the 2014 title with a 5-4 win over Wright State Saturday evening at Kapco Park in Mequon, Wis.

YSU had two make two comebacks in the game as the Penguins trailed 2-1 heading into the seventh and after taking a 3-2 lead, they gave the lead back in the eighth and came up in the ninth trailing 4-3.

But the Penguins proved to be the most resilient team in the tournament as Youngstown State scored two in the ninth to win.

Kevin Hix got the Penguins final rally started with a one-out single and advanced to second on a fielding error. Lorenzo Arcuri then walked to load the bases with one out. The Raiders got Tournament MVP Phil Lipari to popup for the second out, but freshman Alex Larivee delivered with a clutch single to score the tying run and then a hit by pitch sent Shane Willoughby home with the winning run.

Larivee went 1-for-5 in the contest, but arguably had the biggest hit of the season for the Penguins.

Wright State had taken the lead in the bottom of the eighth with some clutch hitting of its own. With two on and two outs, Joe Ford hit a triple that got by YSU’s leaping right fielder to score John Brodner and Sean Murphy.

Lipari and designated hitter David Saluga each had three hits for the Penguins. 

Trailing 2-1 heading to the seventh inning, Youngstown State scored two to take the lead. David Saluga and Josh White opened the inning with back-to-back singles and each moved up a base after a sac bunt. After a hit-by-pitch to load the bases and a strikeout, Lipari’s single up the middle scored two runs to give YSU a 3-2 lead.

The Penguins scored a run in the first inning for the third consecutive game as Lipari scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Sullivan.

Wright State answered back in the bottom of the frame though as Jeff Limbaugh launched his first home run of the season to tie the score at one.

The Raiders took the lead in the fourth inning when Ford singled to bring home Murphy.

(1) Wright State 4, (4) Milwaukee 3 (12 inn.)
The Raiders rallied from a 3-0 deficit to knock off Milwaukee 4-3 in 12 innings on Saturday afternoon at Kapco Park.

Wright State trailed 3-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but scored three in the sixth to tie the game.

The Raiders then turned the ball over to the Horizon League Relief Pitcher of the Year, Andrew Elliott, and he did not disappoint.

The junior right-hander went the rest of the way for WSU, striking out 13 of the 21 Milwaukee batters he faced and allowing only one hit. The 13 strikeouts were one short of the Horizon League record.

The Raiders won the game in the bottom of the 12th as Milwaukee’s relief pitcher, Tell Taylor, walked the final three batters of the game to force in the winning run.

The Panthers struck first with two runs in the top of the second inning. Horizon League Player of the Year Ryan Solberg led off the inning with a short fly down the right field line that was just inches past the outstretched glove of WSU’s first baseman for a double. Pat Wilson followed with a single to move Solberg to third. Tyler Hermann then hit into a fielder’s choice but the second baseman’s throw home went below the catches’ mitt and Solberg scored the first run of the game. Hermann scored the Panthers second run of the game when Dan Barwick’s chopper up the middle went under the pitcher’s glove.

Milwaukee tacked on a run in the top of the sixth inning with a Wilson single to score Eric Solberg.

Wright State tied the game in the bottom of the frame as Jack Murphy opened with a double. He scored on a throwing error by the pitcher on Jason DeFevers single. DeFevers scored moments later as a wild pitch got away from the catcher to bring the Raiders within one. Andrew McCafferty completed the comeback when he scored on Sean Murphy’s single up the middle.

2014 Horizon League All-Tournament Team
P – Andrew Elliott, Wright State
P – Jeremy Quinlan, Youngstown State
C – Josh White, Youngstown State
1B – Andrew Bynum, Valparaiso
2B – Phil Lipari, Youngstown State (Tournament MVP)
SS – Shane Willoughby, Youngstown State
3B – Matt Sullivan, Youngstown State
OF – Robby Enslen, Oakland
OF – Ryan Solberg, Milwaukee
OF – Jeff Limbaugh, Wright State
DH – Pat Wilson, Milwaukee