Youngstown State's Califano, North Sweep Weekly Awards

INDIANAPOLIS -- Youngstown State junior outfielder Frank Califano [Alpine, Calif./Steele Canyon (Golden West CC)] has been named the Horizon League Batter of the Week, while Penguins senior right-hander Josh North (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton) is the League’s Pitcher of the Week, for the week of April 20-26. The accolade is the first of the season for both players.

Youngstown State (13-25, 6-15 Horizon) opened an eight-game homestand with a 3-1 week, knocking off Bowling Green, 5-1, before taking a conference series from Wright State, which entered the three-game set on a nine-game winning streak.

Atop the Penguins lineup, Califano was a catalyst throughout the week, hitting .529 with a 1.203 OPS. The senior had hits in all four games, crossing the plate five times and recording two RBIs.

In Saturday’s second game of the series versus Wright State, Califano reached base in five of his six plate appearances, going 4-for-5. The four hits set a new career high for the senior.

A 1-for-4 effort in which he scored a run in Sunday’s series-clinching win extended Califano’s hitting streak in Horizon League games to 15. Califano sits sixth in League play with a .384 average.

North appeared in two games for the Penguins last week, collecting wins in both. On April 21, the right-hander started for YSU and took the win against Bowling Green, inducing three double plays across 4.0 innings of work.

In Sunday’s win over Wright State, North entered the game at the top of the fifth inning with YSU trailing, 2-0. Across 4.0 innings, North struck out two and allowed one hit and one run as the Penguins rallied for a 6-3 victory.

Youngstown State will continue its homestand this week, welcoming Akron to Eastwood Field on April 29, before beginning its Horizon League series against Oakland on May 1.

2015 Baseball Weekly Awards
Batter of the Week
Feb. 16:   Jeff Boehm, UIC (Sr., 1B)
Feb. 23:  Gabe Snyder, Wright State (Fr., OF)
March 2:  Ryan Fucci, Wright State (Jr., OF)
March 9:  Nate Palace, Valparaiso (So., 1B) 
March 16: Sam Koenig, Milwaukee (Sr., OF)
March 23: Cody Bohanek, UIC (So., SS)
March 30: Sam Koenig, Milwaukee (Sr., OF)
April 6:  Sam Koenig, Milwaukee (Sr., OF)
April 13:  Luke Meeteer, Milwaukee (Jr., OF)
April 20:  Sean Murphy, Wright State (So., C)
April 27:  Frank Califano, Youngstown State (Sr., OF)

Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 16:   Brian Keller, Milwaukee (Jr., RHP)
Feb. 23:  Jesse Scholtens, Wright State (Jr., RHP)
March 2:  Justin Langley, Milwaukee (So., LHP)
March 9:  Joe Pavlovich, Milwaukee (Sr., RHP)
March 16: Jake Dahlberg, UIC (So., LHP)
March 23: Jesse Scholtens, Wright State (Jr., RHP)
March 30: Jake Dahlberg, UIC (So., LHP)
April 6:  Jason Hager, Oakland (Sr., LHP)
April 13:  Alex McIntosh, Milwaukee (Fr., LHP)
April 20:  Trevor Lane, UIC (Jr., LHP)
April 27:  Josh North, Youngstown State (Sr., RHP)

Horizon League top performers (April 20-26)

• Tyler Detmer, UIC (Sr., OF) - Detmer was 8-for-17 with three runs scored as UIC went 2-2 on the week, collecting a series win over Milwaukee.
• Mark Fowler, Wright State (Sr., OF) - Carried the Wright State offense, going 10-for-20 with seven runs and five RBIs. In non-conference play, Fowler was 6-for-9 with three doubles and a home run.
• Spencer Mahoney, Valparaiso (Sr., SS) - Reached base in 10-of-17 plate appearances in Valpo’s three-game sweep of Oakland, raising his on-base percentage to .468, second-best in the League.
• Luke Meeteer, Milwaukee (Sr., OF) - With five stolen bases on the week, Meeteer upped his season total to 28, breaking Milwaukee’s single-season record of 24. The senior was 8-for-18 with six runs scored on the week
• Jake Dahlberg, UIC (So., LHP) - Recorded his League-leading fourth complete game of the season in UIC’s series-opening win versus UWM.
• Mario Losi, Valparaiso (So., RHP) - With seven innings of work against Oakland in which he allowed just one run, Losi collected the win and helped Valpo even the series.
• Joe Pavlovich, Milwaukee (Sr., RHP) - In the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader at UIC, Pavlovich saved Milwaukee’s bullpen with a complete game. The right-hander allowed just two runs and struck out three.
• Jeremy Randolph, Wright State (Fr., RHP) - Shut down Dayton in a non-conference start, going 7.0 innings, allowing an unearned run and striking out seven.