Penguins come up short vs. Zips

AKRON — Akron hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Youngstown State baseball team 11-10 in a high-scoring non-league contest on Tuesday afternoon at Skeeles Field.

The Penguins were ahead 2-0 after the first inning and 7-3 after scoring five runs in the top of the third. The Zips answered with a five-run bottom of the third to take an 8-7 lead before YSU countered with two runs in the top of the fourth to regain a 9-8 edge. The score remained the same until Akron pushed across a pair of runs in the seventh move back in front 10-9. The Guins plated a single run in the top of the ninth to even the score before Brennan Morgan’s RBI single in the bottom half of the inning lifted the Zips to the walk-off victory.

Nathan Beckley went 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI double, a walk and a run scored while Brayden Kuriger finished 2-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs, a walk, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Alex Jang recorded two hits including a double, two RBIs and a stolen base while Luke Rossi singled, doubled, drove in a run and scored twice. Ryan Schummer added two hits as the Penguins posted new season highs as a team with 10 runs and 14 hits offensively.

YSU starter Aidan Dorsch allowed two runs on two hits in his lone inning on the mound before Aidan English (South Range) was responsible for one run in one inning as the first six YSU relievers to appear in the contest. Sloan Ulrich surrendered five runs in the third before Kale Wemer and Griffin Almond each came on to toss two scoreless innings of relief. Lane Rhodes (Salem) permitted two runs in two innings of work while Mikey Rodriques suffered the loss after allowing the winning run in the ninth.

The Penguins grabbed the early lead with two runs on three doubles in the top of the first inning. Jang hit a leadoff double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Misael Uriepero and scored on Rossi’s RBI double. Beckley followed with an RBI double of his own to plate Rossi and give YSU a 2-0 advantage.

After the Zips took a 3-2 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second inning, YSU exploded for five runs on five hits in the top of the third to move ahead 7-3. The rally was highlighted by back-to-back run-scoring doubles from Brady Shannon (Ursuline) and Kuriger before a two-out, two-run single from Jang.

Akron responded immediately in the bottom of the third by loading the bases with a single and two walks. Atticus Huffstutler followed with a grand slam to right field which knotted the score at 7-7. Tucker Biehl walked and scored on Gabe Mathison’s bunt single later in the frame to give the Zips an 8-7 lead.

The lead changed hands again in the top of the fourth as the Penguins scored twice to regain a 9-8 advantage. Kuriger hit a two-out double and scored on Schummer’s RBI single while Teddy Ruffner walked and scored when Ryan DiLullo (Poland) reached on an error.

Akron got back-to-back two-out singles from Brody Chrisman and Blake Bowen in the home half of the seventh inning. Bowen swiped second base to put two runners in scoring positions before Morgan delivered a two-run single up the middle to give the Zips a 10-9 lead.

Uriepero drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a single from Beckley and scored on Shannon’s RBI groundout in the top of the ninth to even the score at 10 runs piece heading into the bottom half of the inning.

In the home half of the ninth, Mathison drew a leadoff single, Chrisman followed with a single and Bowen was intentionally walked to load the bases. Morgan proceeded to hit an 0-1 pitch from Rodriques up the middle to send Mathison home for the winning run.

Garrett Groce, Nathan Currah and Floyd McKenna combined to limit YSU to one run on four hits over the final five innings.

The Penguins are scheduled to begin a three-game Horizon League series at Milwaukee on Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.

YSU softball doubleheader canceled

YOUNGSTOWN — Due to inclement weather forecasted for today, the Youngstown State-Bowling Green softball doubleheader was canceled. The games will not be made up.

YSU visits Robert Morris for a three-game Horizon League showdown on Friday and Saturday in Moon Township, Pa.

CSU’s women’s coach headed to TSU

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland State Athletic Department announced that women’s basketball head coach Chris Kielsmeier stepped down from his position to accept the same role at Texas State. A national search for Cleveland State’s next head coach will begin immediately.

“I want to thank Coach Kielsmeier for his leadership and commitment to our women’s basketball program during his eight seasons at Cleveland State,”CSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Kelsie Gory Harkey said. “We are grateful for Coach Kielsmeier’s dedication to setting the standard of excellence for our program and the impact he made on our student-athletes during his eight seasons at Cleveland State. Our goal is to continue the tradition that has been built here, and we remain committed to providing a transformational student-athlete experience for all of our women’s basketball players.”

Kielsmeier has been at Cleveland State since the 2018-19 campaign, leading the Vikings to six 20-win seasons, six postseason appearances, Horizon League Tournament (2023) and Regular Season (2023-24) championships, and the program’s first-ever postseason title (2021 WBI). During his tenure, the Vikings have claimed 11 major postseason honors and 28 All-League accolades.

Steph Curry returns to scrimmaging

SAN FRANCISCO — Coach Steve Kerr still believes Stephen Curry could return to the Golden State Warriors before the regular season ends after missing two months with a right knee injury.

The 38-year-old Curry won’t play in a home game Wednesday night against San Antonio and isn’t expected to return in the back-to-back Thursday versus Cleveland.

That would leave five games remaining in the regular season, and Curry is highly unlikely to play on consecutive nights for the Warriors, who are headed for the play-in tournament. He has missed the last 25 games since playing against Detroit on Jan. 30.

Kerr said Tuesday’s session was all drill work both offensively and defensively, “half-speed.”

After a 116-93 loss at Denver on Sunday night, the Warriors dropped to 13-23 this season without Curry — including 9-16 during this stretch with him sidelined by patellofemoral pain syndrome.