May 26, 2004

Penguins Rally in Ninth to Defeat Butler, 4-3

    Niles, Ohio -- Brandon Caipen hit a clutch two-run single and Kendall Schlabach scored on an error to cap a four-run ninth inning that lifted Youngstown State to a 4-3 victory over Butler in the opening round of the Horizon League Tournament at Eastwood Field Wednesday night.
    Sophomore lefty Justin Thomas threw eight strong innings for the Penguins to pick up his seventh win, scattering three runs on six hits and striking out four.  Andy Svitak got into a jam in the bottom ninth as the Bulldogs loaded the bases with one out, but the freshman righthander retired the final two hitters for his fourth save of the season.
    The seventh-seeded Penguins will advance to play No. 3 Cleveland State Friday at 10:30 p.m. while the No. 2 Bulldogs will play the loser of the UIC and UW-Milwaukee game Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
    Trailing 3-0 heading into the top of the ninth, Justin Banks drew a leadoff walk and Adam Cox followed with a single up the middle to knock Bulldog starter Craig Costello out of the game.  Brent Parks then singled to right to load the bases, but reliever Jon Olson got Jim Phillips to hit a nubber back to the mound to get Banks out on the force at home.  Cox scored when Kyle Penrod beat out a potential game-ending 4-6-3 double play and Schlabach drew a walk to load the bases for Caipen.  The sophomore worked the count before ripping a 2-2 pitch up the middle to plate Parks and pinch runner Clint Ford.  Charles Schultz then hit an infield single and Schlabach scored when shortstop Stephen Gill's throw was low to first.
    The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the bottom half of the ninth as Svitak walked Ryan Nance, hit Gill and intentionally walked Justin McKinley after a sacrifice bunt, but the YSU reliever froze Jeff Brown on an 0-2 strike and got Dale Mueller to fly out to right to preserve the win.
    Costello went eight innings as he allowed two runs on four hits but did not factor in the decision.  Jon Olson was tagged with the loss in 2/3 of an inning as he was charged with YSU's final two runs.
    Butler took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the fifth when Brown singled down the right field line to plate Gill.
    The Bulldogs increased their advantage to 3-0 in the eighth when Tony Barnes hit a pinch-hit, two run single with two outs to plate Mueller and Andy Bolla.
    Schultz finished with two hits to lead the seven-hit Penguin attack while McKinley and Brown had two hits apiece for the Bulldogs.