May 11, 2007

Clayton Hits Walkoff Single, Koehnlein Breaks Hits Record in Split

    Niles, Ohio -- Tom Clayton hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth and John Koehnlein broke the school record for hits in a season as Youngstown State split a doubleheader with UW-Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon.
    Clayton's single capped a seven-run rally for the Penguins in their 9-8 victory in the nightcap. UW-Milwaukee took the opener 6-3 in 10 innings.
    With six hits on the day, Koehnlein brought his season total to 85. The old record of 80 was held by three players, including most recently by Kellen Dixon and Kendall Schlabach in 2001.
    The Penguins and Panthers will also play a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 1 p.m. at Eastwood Field.
    The Penguins fell behind 8-2 after UW-Milwaukee scored three runs in the top of the seventh. YSU responded by tallying six runs to the game in the bottom half of the seventh to set up Clayton's winner.
    The Panthers got two runs in the top of the first, but the Penguins tied the game in the third on Koehnlein's infield single and Josh Page's squeeze.
    UW-Milwaukee then scored one run in the fourth, two in the sixth and three in the seventh to take a six-run lead. Clayton drove in the final two runs in the seventh on a two-out double to right center that scored Mike Turjanica and Bainbridge.
    Bainbridge drew a leadoff walk in the ninth, and pinch runner C.J. Morris promptly stole second. Turjanica then laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Clayton hit a 2-2 pitch over the second baseman with the infield in.
    Andy Svitak improved to 2-4, throwing a scoreless ninth for the Penguins.
    The Penguins banged out 13 hits but stranded 13 runners in a 6-3 loss in game one.
    YSU took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Koehnlein and Page singled and Erich Diedrich was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Lee Bainbridge brought in Koehnlein on an RBI infield single, and Page scored on a double play.
    The Panthers scored one run in each of the fourth through sixth innings to take a 3-2 advantage, and starter Robert Michalkiewicz held that lead until the ninth. Koehnlein singled through to left to start the inning and moved to second on Page's groundout to the right side. Jordan Herbert came in and balked to advance Koehnlein to third, and Diedrich hit a sacrifice fly to center to send the game to extra innings.
    The Panthers scored three runs on four hits and an error in the top of the 10th, and Herbert worked out of a jam with two runners on in the bottom half to hang on for his fourth win.
    Herbert improved to 4-0 after throwing 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Joe Antinone was charged with the loss despite 3 2/3 strong innings of relief.
    Koehnlein finished with three hits in the opener, and Page and Lucas had two apiece. Kyle Silver had four hits to lead UW-Milwaukee.
    Koehnlein's record-breaking hit came on a bunt single in the top of the second, which was his eighth bunt single of the year.