Jacke Healey hit home runs in both games, and the Youngstown State baseball team swept a doubleheader against NAIA member Walsh University on Friday at VA Memorial Stadium.
YSU's senior shortstop hit a two-run homer in the third inning of the first game as YSU won 9-2. He hit a go-ahead three-run shot over the scoreboard in left center in game two to lead the Penguins to a 6-4 victory in seven innings.
Starter Aaron Swenson went the distance in game one, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out a career-high 13 batters. After allowing lead-off singles in the first and second innings, Swenson did not allow a hit until an RBI double in the seventh. He retired 14 straight batters from the second inning through the seventh.
Walsh starter Rob Rose did not allow a hit through the first two innings, but the Penguins caught on in the third as three out of four batters hit balls to at least the wall. C.J. Morris led off with a double, and Armani Johnson doubled to left two batters later. Healey then homered to left to put the Penguins ahead 3-0. Eric Marzec hit a two-run single, and Anthony Porter plated a run in the fifth as YSU took a 6-0 lead.
Dave Krusinski doubled in a run in the seventh to get Walsh on the board, but Porter homered in the bottom half to put YSU up 8-1. Both teams scored a run in the eighth as Walsh's Mike Suliks and Marzec hit RBI doubles.
Marzec and Porter both drove in three runs, and Healey scored three times in the opener.
Walsh jumped out to a two-run lead in the first inning off of YSU starter Anthony Munoz in the second contest. Mark Kelly and Duston Walter singled, and Dustin Lancy followed with a two-out, two-run double to left center.
Walsh starter Billy Gura held the Penguins scoreless in the first two innings, and the Crusaders led until Healey's three-run shot with two outs in the third. The Crusaders tied the score in the fourth when Krusinski singled in a run, and Zac Mcfarland singled in Joe Iacobucci in the bottom half to give YSU the lead for good.
Morris scored on Marzec's ground out, and Porter doubled in Healey in the fifth to complete YSU's scoring.
The Penguins and Cavaliers will try to complete their three-game series on Saturday at 1 p.m., but rain is in the forecast. Sunday is scheduled as a rain date for the series finale.
Courtesy: YSU Sports Information
