Four Youngstown State pitchers combined to throw a five-hit shutout, and the Penguins scored the game's only two runs in the first inning in a 2-0 victory over Bowling Green on Wednesday evening at Eastwood Field.
YSU starter Michael Semonsen pitched the first three innings, and Joel Hake cruised through four innings to be awarded the victory. Shane Willoughby worked around two hits in the eighth inning, and Kevin Yarabinec retired the Falcons in order in the ninth for his second save.
Bowling Green's pitchers limited YSU to just one earned run on six hits and three walks, but the Penguins were able to capitalize in the first inning on the game's only extra-base hit and an error. Lorenzo Arcuri led the game off with a single to center, and he scored two pitches later when Alex Larivee doubled. Arcuri originally held at third, but the throw into the infield was wild, which allowed both Penguins runners to advance. Larivee then beat another wild throw to the plate to score on Gerrad Rohan's fielder's choice for the final run of the game.
Bowling Green got its first two runners on in the second inning on a hit batter and a walk before Semonsen got the next three batters, and the Falcons left the bases loaded in the third.
Hake came on to start the fourth inning, and he faced one batter over the minimum in his four frames. He issued a one-out walk to Kory Brown in the sixth but picked him off first base, and he allowed a two-out single in the seventh.
The Falcons got two singles in the eighth, one to start the inning and a one-out infield single, before Willoughby struck out the final two batters. Yarabinec's three outs came on a strikeout, fly out and ground out. Youngstown State's quartet finished the game with eight strikeouts, five of which came in the final three innings.
Andrew Kendrick had two hits to lead Youngstown State offensively, and four other players had one hit apiece. Greg Basalyga had two of Bowling Green's hits. The Falcons used 22 different players in the game, including seven pitchers.
Youngstown State will play a three-game non-conference series against Canisius this weekend at Eastwood Field. The Penguins and Golden Griffins will play on Friday at 5:30 p.m., on Saturday at 2 p.m. and on Sunday at 1 p.m.