Penguins Softball Gears Up for Tournament, Take on Fifth-Seeded UIC

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May 6, 2008
Penguins Softball Gears Up for Tournament, Takes on Fifth-Seeded UIC

To reclaim its Horizon League tournament title from the 2006 season, the Youngstown State softball team will have to win at least five games in a three-day span this weekend, May 8-10, at the 2008 Horizon League Softball Championship hosted Loyola in Chicago, Ill.

The Penguins, who garnered the eighth-seed with an overall mark of 12-35 and a Horizon League record of 6-16, will take on a familiar tournament foe, the fifth-seeded UIC Flames (22-31, 12-9 Horizon League), on Thursday, May 8, at Noon (EDT)/11 a.m. (CDT).

Since the 2003 Horizon League Softball Championship, the Penguins and Flames have squared off a total of five times and have met in each of the last three tournaments. The Penguins have defeated the Flames three times, including twice in the 2006 postseason, but UIC defeated the Guins, 1-0, in the 2007 tournament.

If the Penguins fall to the Flames in the opening round, they would take on the loser of Game One, No. 6 Green Bay (10-23, 4-9) or No. 7 Butler (16-27,5-12), in an elimination game on Friday, may 9, at 10 a.m. (EDT)/ 9 a.m. (CDT).

If the Penguins defeat the Flames on Thursday morning, they would have to comeback Thursday evening to take on the No. 2-seed Valparaiso Crusaders (30-17, 12-5) at 7 p.m. (EDT)/6 p.m. (CDT). The Penguins lost two of three to the Crusaders in the regular season.
With a victory over the Crusaders on Thursday evening, the Guins would advance to the winner’s bracket semifinal on Friday, May 9, at 2 p.m. (EDT)/1 p.m. (CDT). YSU would take on either No. 3 Wright State (29-24, 13-7), No. 4 Loyola (18-23, 12-7) or No. 8 Detroit (11-26, 4-13).

The winner’s bracket final is Friday, May 9, at 9 p.m. (EDT)/8p.m. (CDT) and the Championship game is slated for Saturday, May 10, at 5 p.m. (EDT)/4 p.m. (CDT).

Regular-season champion and top-seeded Cleveland State (29-16, 14-4) has the easiest route to the championship game only having win to games to get to the championship game and win a total of three to earn a berth to the NCAA Regional Tournament.

Experience Factor

Although seeded-eighth, Youngstown State has plenty of tournament experience from which to draw. Eight players on the current Penguins roster were on the 2006 championship team and have played a total of eight tournament games since 2005 and own a Horizon League Championship record of 4-4.

Lower-Seed Success

Being a low seed in the Horizon League Softball Championship has not been the end-all. Since 2003, just one top seed has won the Horizon League Championship - UIC in 2004. Wright State won its first Horizon League crown in 2003 as the eighth seed and collected its second title in five years in 2007 as the seventh seed.

As the sixth-seed, Youngstown State won four straight games in the 2006 tournament to capture the program’s first Horizon League championship and first NCAA Regional Tournament berth. McKenzie Bedra batting an impressive .700 with five home runs and 2.200 slugging percentage

Green Bay used its home-field advantage on its way to the tournament crown as the No. 2 seed in 2005.

Bedra, Vanyi Offensive

Senior McKenzie Bedra and freshman Rochelle Vanyi have combined for a powerful duo in the Penguins lineup in 2008. Vanyi broke the single-season home run mark with her 11^th blast of the season in game one against Pittsburgh on April 29. In the second game, Bedra tied Vanyi’s one-game record with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning.

Bedra, who is batting .338 with 11 home runs and 32 runs batted in, is slugging at a .646 clip, which ranks fourth on the YSU single-season list.

Vanyi is just the second player in school history to collect double digits in both home runs and doubles in the same season with 11 homers and 10 doubles. The other YSU player to do so was Kristen McDonnell with 11 doubles and 10 home runs in 2006. Vanyi is also owns a .630 slugging percentage which ranks sixth on the single-season chart.

Cale Confident in Circle

Sophomore Cheryl Cale has become the Guins top hurler in the circle this season. After losing her first four decisions year, Cale has improved as the season went on posting an 8-5 record with a 4.28 earned-run average since April 1. Over her last nine decision, Cale has posted a 5-4 mark with a 2.81 earned-run average and picked up her first career shutout with a three-hitter in a 1-0 win over Butler on April 19.

Klonowski Base-Knockin

Freshman Kim Klonowski has seen a dramatic improvement at the plate over the last 15 games. In that span, Klonowski has appeared 11 times and is batting .393 with four doubles and a .536 slugging percentage.

Potokar Keeps Pumpin

Over the last 10 games, freshman Katy Potokar has been a tough out. The Grove City, Ohio, native is batting .367 (11-for-30) with three home runs, seven runs scored and seven runs batted in during that span. She also boasts a slugging percentage of .667 in those 10 games.