March 7, 2008 | Box Score

Big Seventh Inning Proves Costly in 15-7 Loss at Alabama

    Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Alabama hit three home runs in an eight-run seventh inning that ended up being the final margin in a 15-7 victory over Youngstown State on Friday evening.
    The three homers were the Crimson Tide's only hits during the inning, but one was a grand slam and another came with two runners on. Alabama also benefitted from two errors, two hit batsmen and two walks in the inning.
    YSU outhit Alabama 12-11 and led 4-2 after the top of the fourth before the home squad scored the next 13 runs. The Penguins added three runs on three hits in the eighth for the final tally.
    Eight different Penguins recorded hits in the game, including a team-high three from leadoff man Sean Lucas. Anthony Porter singled twice in his only two at bats, and Tom Clayton added two singles.
    "I was pleased that we got bunts down and executed some hits and runs," head coach Rich Pasquale said after the game. "We really had a good approach at the plate and were able to carry the things over that we worked on in the cages over the pasts two weeks."
    "The pitching just wasn't there tonight, and our defense made them throw more pitches than they had to. But we got better today. We stayed scrappy and made them go into their bullpen a little more late."
    Starter Lucas Engle was tagged with the loss, allowing six earned runs on six hits in 4.1 innings.
    Casey Kebodeaux earned the win for the Crimson Tide, throwing 3.1 innings of scoreless relief after the Penguins forced out starter Will Stroup in the fourth. Stroup entered the game with a 2-0 record having allowed only two earned runs on six hits in 12.2 innings. YSU was able to muster four runs on six hits in 3.2 innings off of the senior lefty.
    The Crimson Tide pushed a run across the plate in each of the first two innings and led 2-0 before the Penguins posted three runs in the third. Lucas singled to start the inning, moved to second on Josh Page's bunt and scored when Joe Iacobucci singled to left center. Iacobucci moved to third on Tom Clayton's single and scored on a wild pitch, and Clayton scored on Anthony Munoz's fielder's choice.
    The Penguins went up 4-2 in the top of the fourth when Cory Hornyak drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on another wild pitch.
    Engle hurt himself in the fourth by hitting two of the first four batters. Both of those runners and another that reached on a bunt single scored on a sacrifice fly and a two-out, two-run single that gave Alabama a 5-4 lead.
    The Crimson Tide scored once in the fifth and sixth innings before blowing the game open in the seventh.
    C.J. Morris, Iacobucci and Porter all drove in runs in the eight for YSU.
    The Penguins and Crimson Tide will take the field again Saturday at 4 p.m. EST.