Penguins Host Northern Kentucky in Crucial Horizon League Series - Youngstown State University (2024)

April 19vs. Northern Kentucky – 3 p.m. |Live Stats | Watch
April 20 vs. Northern Kentucky – 1 p.m. |Live Stats | Watch
April 20 vs. Northern Kentucky – 3 p.m. |Live Stats | Watch

The Youngstown State softball team (27-13, 13-2 Horizon League) continues its nine-game homestand when it welcomes Horizon League foe Northern Kentucky for a three-game series, April 19-20.

First pitch of Friday's single game is set for 3 p.m. at the YSU Softball Field. Saturday's doubleheader is slated for a 1 p.m. start.

Up Next
The Penguins host Bucknell in a midweek doubleheader Tuesday, April 23. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. at the Covelli Sports Complex.

Last Time Out
The Penguins split a non-league doubleheader against Niagara on April 16. The Penguins defeated the Purple Eagles 9-1 and lost 10-1.

About Northern Kentucky
Northern Kentucky enters the series with an overall record of 17-15 and a 10-5 mark in the Horizon League. The Norse, who are tied for third in the league standings, are led by Ella LeMonier with a .390 batting average. Lauryn Hicks leads the pitching staff with a 7-7 record and a 2.94 earned-run average.

The NKU Series
Youngstown State and Niagara have met 28 times previously and the all-time series is tied at 14-14. The Norse have won the last two meetings, including a 1-0 victory in the 2023 Horizon League Tournament.

Easy E
Senior Elyssa Imler is having the best season of her career at the plate. Imler leads the Penguins with a .360 batting average with seven doubles, a home run, and 13 RBIs. She also has a team-high 13 stolen bases.

Rinaldi Rakin'
Fifth-year senior Conchetta Rinaldi is having her best season at the plate in 2024. Rinaldi is batting .318 with 24 runs batted in, seven doubles and one home run. She ranked tied for fifth in the league in RBIs.

Guins Tops In HL
Youngstown State has been the top offensive team in the Horizon League all season. The Penguins lead the league in six offensive categories. YSU is tops in the league with a .292 batting average, 20 home runs, 202 runs scored, 306 hits, 170 RBIs and a .413 slugging percentage. The Penguins are also third in the league with 51 doubles.

Dean is Grand
Sophom*ore Kennedy Dean had a monster day against Niagara on April 16. Dean hit a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in five runs in the Penguins' 9-1 win over the Purple Eagles. Dean is tied for the Horizon League lead in home runs with seven. She's tied with teammate senior Sara Fessler.

Fessler Firin'
Graduate Sara Fessler is posting another outstanding season for the Penguins. Fessler boasts a .342 batting average with seven doubles, two triples, and a team-high seven home runs. Her .615 slugging percentage ranks second in the Horizon League, and she leads the circuit with a 1.084 OPS.

Howell Approaching 50, 500
Senior Sophie Howell has the chance to become just the third pitcher in school history to record 50 wins and 500 strikeouts in a career. Howell currently ranks third all-time with 470 career strikeouts and fifth with 44 wins. The only other pitchers to earn 50 wins with 500 strikeouts were Elle Buffenbarger (2018-22) and Casey Crozier (2011-14).

Fessler, Howell Sweep Weekly Awards
For the third time this season, Youngstown State players swept the Under Armour Horizon League Softball Weekly Awards, the league announced on April 2.

Graduate studentSara Fesslerwas named the Horizon League Player of the Week while seniorSophie Howellwas tabbed the Pitcher of the Week.

This is Fessler's first award this season and the second of her career while Howell has claimed her third award this season and the fifth of her career.

Fessler led the Penguins to a perfect 5-0 record last week, including their third straight Horizon League series sweep. She batted .526 (10-for-19) with eight runs scored, two doubles, four home runs, and six runs batted in. She also posted a slugging percentage of 1.263 and an on-base percentage of .571 for a 1.834 OPS. Fessler recorded three hits in game one against St. Bonaventure and clubbed a two-run home in the nightcap. She has two hits in each game against the Phoenix going 6-for-10 in the series with three home runs, a double, three RBIs, and six runs scored.

Howell posted a record of 3-0 with a save and a 1.42 earned-run average while striking out 31 in 19.2 innings pitched. She tossed 3.2 innings of hitless and scoreless relief with five whiffs in the Penguins 16-5 win over St. Bonaventure. Howell recorded the save in YSU's 7-2 win over the Bonnies with three strikeouts in two innings. Howell fanned 11 in a complete-game win over Green Bay on March 29, and she fired a six-hit complete-game shutout with a career-high 12 strikeouts in the series finale on March 31.

Penguins Picked Fourth in Horizon League
The Youngstown State softball team was predicted to finish fourth in the Horizon League after a vote by the league's head coaches. The Penguins earned 48 points and finished behind Northern Kentucky and Oakland, who were picked tied for first with 75 points, and Robert Morris, who was third. Green Bay earned 43 points to place fifth while IUPUI was sixthwith 37 points, Cleveland State was seventh with 32, Purdue Fort Wayne ranked eighth with 21 points and Detroit Mercy was ninth with 10 points.

Place. Team (First Place Votes) – Points
T1. Northern Kentucky (5) – 75
T1. Oakland (4) – 75
3. RMU – 64
4. Youngtown State – 48
5. Green Bay – 43
6. IUPUI – 37
7. Cleveland State – 32
8. Purdue Fort Wayne – 21
9. Detroit Mercy – 10