INDIANAPOLIS -- Youngstown State juniors Phil Lipari and Patrick O’Brien have been named Horizon League Baseball Players of the Week for the period of April 1-7.
Lipari picked up Batter of the Week accolades for the first time this season after hitting .800 in the Penguins series-win over Milwaukee.
The shortstop opened the series with a 3-for-4 performance, scoring a run and recording two steals in YSU’s only loss of the series. On Saturday, he was 2-for-3 at the plate, scoring two runs, driving in two runs and also stealing one base. In the Penguins’ series-clinching win on Sunday, Lipari was 3-for-3 at the plate with five RBIs, one run scored and a stolen base.
Overall in the weekend, Lipari was 8-of-10 at the plate and finished with seven RBIs, four runs scored, four stolen bases and a 1.000 slugging percentage.
O’Brien won the Pitcher of the Week honor allowing only one run in 10.2 innings of work last week.
In YSU’s 10-1 win over Milwaukee on Saturday, the junior right-hander pitched a complete-game. He held the League’s top offensive team to just one run on five hits (all singles), while striking out seven Panthers and walking none in the contest.
Earlier in the week, O’Brien came out of the pen to pitch 1.2 innings of relief against Akron. He allowed one hit and struck out three in the appearance.
Youngstown State (9-21, 5-4) has five games on tap for this week. The Penguins host Pittsburgh on Tuesday before playing at West Virginia on Wednesday. YSU welcomes Valparaiso for a three-game series beginning on Friday.
Other Horizon League Top Performers (Apr. 1-7)
Jack Andersen, UIC (Fr., RHP) - Andersen picked up his first collegiate save as he pitched the final 1.2 innings, striking out one batter, of UIC’s 2-1 win over Valparaiso on Friday.
Tyler Detmer, UIC (So., OF) - Detmer hit .400 at the plate last week for the Flames. He finished with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Casey Henn, Wright State(Sr., RHP) - Henn allowed just four hits and zero runs in seven innings of work in Friday’s game at Penn State. He struck out five, but was given a no-decision after the Raiders won 7-4 in 11 innings.
Kody Krizman, Wright State (Sr., 1B) - Krizman was 8-for-19 at the plate last week for WSU. He was a single short of the cycle in the Raiders win over Otterbein on Monday. He hit four doubles for the week.
Jake Long, Milwaukee(Sr., RHP) - Long won his fourth game in a row, allowing two earned runs in 7.0 innings, striking out five. He did see his school-record scoreless innings streak come to a close at 26.0 in the victory.
Chris Manning, Valparaiso(Jr., OF) - Manning hit .350 for the Crusaders last week, scoring six runs and driving in three. He was 6-for-12 at the plate in Valpo’s weekend series against UIC and scored five of the team’s 10 runs in the series. He raised his batting average .31 points by the end of the week.
Derek Peake, Milwaukee(So., OF) - Peake batted .417 (5-for-12) for the week and got on base at an impressive .611 clip by adding a pair of walks and four hit-by-pitches. He also scored five runs and stole three bases.
Cole Webb, Valparaiso (Jr., RHP) - Webb matched his season-high with seven strikeouts in Valpo’s 2-1 loss to UIC on Friday. He allowed six hits - only one for extra bases - and walked zero in eight innings of work.
Horizon League Batters of the Week
Feb. 11-17 Will Fadness, Milwaukee
Feb. 18-24 Alex Grunenwald, UIC
Feb. 25-Mar. 3 Drew Dosch, Youngstown State
Mar. 4-10 Alex Grunenwald, UIC
Mar. 11-17 Kieston Greene, Wright State
Mar. 18-24 Garrett Gray, Wright State
Mar. 25-31 Marcus Heath, Youngstown State
Apr. 1-7 Phil Lipari, Youngstown State
Horizon League Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 11-17 Tomas Michelson, UIC
Feb. 18-24 Robert Switka, Youngstown State
Feb. 25-Mar. 3 Joey Begel, UIC
Mar. 4-10 Cale Tassi, Milwaukee
Mar. 11-17 Jake Long, Milwaukee
Mar. 18-24 Jake Long, Milwaukee
Mar. 25-31 Jake Long, Milwaukee
Apr. 1-7 Patrick O’Brien, Youngstown State
