Feb. 23, 2008 | Box Score

Penguins Lose 1-0 Heartbreaker to No. 25 Georgia Tech

    Atlanta -- Youngstown State's Sean Lucas was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Chris House to end the game in a 1-0 heartbreaking loss to No. 25 Georgia Tech on Saturday at  Russ Chandler Stadium.
    YSU outhit Georgia Tech 10-7, and pitchers Adam Kalafos and Chuck Schiffhauer combined to allow only an unearned run in the second inning.
    Redshirt freshman Joe Iacobucci led off the top of the ninth with a single to right, but the Penguins had to rely on an error to set up the final sequence. Anthony Munoz failed to get down a sacrifice bunt, and Lucas ended up on second when Tech second baseman Jeff Ussery threw wild to first trying to turn a double play. Freshman David Leon then ripped a single to left that House picked up and threw to Jason Haniger at the plate.
    The Yellow Jackets needed some help to get their only run in the second. Tony Plagman hit a one-out single to left and moved to third on a wild pitch and passed ball. After Kalafos struck out Haniger and walked Ussery, Jeff Rowland plated Plagman on an infield single to first.
    The Penguins also had runners in scoring position in the third and sixth, but Georgia Tech starter Eddie Burns was able to work out of the innings unscathed.
    "This whole time we've focused on the process and not the outcome," YSU head coach Rich Pasquale said. "Our guys were focused on each inning and each pitch, and they just did a great job of battling. We just need to get better each day, and we did that today."
    Kalafos allowed four hits, walked four and struck out five in five innings as the hard-luck loser. Schiffhauer threw three shutout innings of relief, allowing three hits and striking out two.
    "Our pitching was phenomenal today," Pasquale said. "Kalafos was definitely a horse today. He and Schiffhauer both mixed up their pitches very well."
    Josh Page had a game-high three hits while Leon and Iacobucci had two hits apiece.
    Burns allowed six hits and struck out four to earn the win, and closer Chris Hicks threw the ninth for his first save.
    The Penguins and Yellow Jackets will play the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m.