Youngstown State's Thomas, Loyola's Gardner Collect Softball Weekly Awards

Thomas helped Youngstown State (15-6, 2-1 Horizon) go 4-1 last week, including a Horizon League series win against visiting Butler over the weekend. Gardner led Loyola (6-12, 2-1 Horizon) to a 2-1 record in the Ramblers League-opening road trip to Wright State.

 

Thomas, who collected Player of the Week accolades last week as well, hit .500, collecting a hit in all five of the Penguins’ games. The senior tied the Youngstown State career runs record at 126, crossing home plate five times.

 

On March 24, Thomas tied two Youngstown State single-game records, tallying four hits, including three doubles, in the Penguins’ 6-5 victory over Butler. The following day, Thomas moved into a tie for third on the YSU career list with her 18th career home run; the long ball also tied Thomas atop the career runs list.

 

In two starts last week, Gardner shut down Wright State, giving up just four hits and no runs in 14.0 innings of work. The 2011 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, Gardner gave Loyola a split of Saturday’s doubleheader, tossing seven innings of scoreless work and striking out nine in a 1-0 win.

 

The following day, Gardner again gave up just two hits, matching her career high with 11 strikeouts as the Ramblers took the series with an 8-0 victory. The sophomore set down 19 straight Raiders as one point in the game.

 

Youngstown State will head to Akron for a midweek doubleheader on Tuesday, March 27, before hosting Cleveland State in a Horizon League series over the weekend. The Penguins and Vikings will play a doubleheader on Friday, March 30, before wrapping up the three-game set on March 31. 

 

After 18 straight games away from home, the Ramblers will finally play at Loyola Softball Park on Wednesday, March 28, when they host Northern Illinois in a doubleheader. Loyola will head down I-65 over the weekend, taking on Butler beginning with a doubleheader on March 31 and wrapping up the series on April 1.

 

Softball Player of the Week:
February 14: Brittany Duncan, Valparaiso

February 21: Vicky Rumph, Youngstown State

February 28: Jordan Rutkowski, Valparaiso

March 6: Jordan Rutkowski, Valparaiso

March 13: Jesse Marinec, Valparaiso

March 20: Haley Thomas, Youngstown State

March 26: Haley Thomas, Youngstown State

 

February 14: Alex Lagesse, Valparaiso

February 21: Casey Crozier, Youngstown State

February 28: Krystian DeWitt, Wright State

March 6: Breanna Fisher, Butler

March 13: Keali Engelkens, Loyola

March 20: Casey Crozier, Youngstown State

March 26: Brittany Gardner, Loyola