Archive for March, 2012

Trailing 5-4 with under three minutes left in regulation, Ryan Belonger gave the Phantoms a chance to win with a game-tying goal. Ian McCoshen snuck a long one past Matt O’Connor in overtime to erase the heroics of Belonger and send the Youngstown Phantoms to their second straight overtime loss, 6-5, in a wild one.

Waterloo scored first as Vince Hinostroza scored just 2:54 into the contest.   By the end of the first period, however, it wa the Phantoms who took a 2-1 lead into the intermission.  Goals by Dylan Margonari, who was assisted by J. T. Stenglein, and Chris Bradley‘s unassisted gem temporarily vaulted the Phantoms into the lead.

A wild second period saw five total goals scored, unfortunately for the purple Youngstown skaters, three of them were by Waterloo.  Austin Cangelosi pulled out a shorthanded goal, unassisted, 6:12 into the second to increase Youngstown’s lead to 3-1.  After Tony Cameranesi cut the lead to 3-2 with a Waterloo goal, Mike Ambrosia scored to give the Phantoms back the two-goal lead with three-and-a-half minutes to play in the period.

Goals for Waterloo from Scott MacDonald and a Taylor Cammarata powerplay goal with just three seconds remaining in the period tied the game at four goals apiece.

In the final period, Waterloo jumped out to a 5-4 lead when Mark Naclerio scored with 6:57 elapsed in the final stanza.  Neither team would muster much offense until the final horn was ready to sound.  Belonger then took an unassisted chance and put the puck into the net, beating Stephon Williams with 2:35 left in the game.

In the overtime, McCoshen scored with 3:36 gone in the extra session to lift Waterloo to the victory.

Matt O’Connor faced 41 shots and stopped 35 of them in a gallant effort between the pipes.

With the loss, the Phantoms fell to 51-29-15 and trail Indiana by one point for second place in the Eastern Conference playoff race.  Dubuque is only one point behind the Phantoms and this race for second, third, and fourth places looks to be heading down to the wire.

The Phantoms will now travel to Chicago to face an Ice team that has been pretty well removed from the playoffs and has nothing to lose.  On the other hand, Youngstown needs the points and will have to put their best skate forward.

The Youngstown State baseball team stranded 11 runners and got hurt by errors and hit batsmen in a 5-4 loss to Milwaukee on Friday evning at Eastwood Field in YSU’s home and Horizon League opener.

Penguins pitchers beaned five Panther hitters, and three runs scored as a result. Milwaukee’s run in the seventh that broke a 4-4 tie scored after two errors, and the Panthers scored their five runs on just five hits.  Ten of YSU’s 13 hits came int the first four innings.

YSU catcher Craig Goubeaux nearly matched Milwaukee in the hits column himself. He was 4-for-4, and Drew Dosch added three hits.

Penguins starter Blake Aquadro hit three batters in the second inning, and Milwaukee scored twice to go ahead 2-0. Mark Strey came up with the only hit of the frame, but his two-out single to left plated both runs.

YSU matched Milwaukee with two runs in the bottom of the second on four hits. David Leon singled to start the inning and advanced to second on an error. Kevin Hix sacrificed him to third, and he scored on Goubeaux’s single. A Phil Lipari single and a bunt single by Dosch loaded the bases, and Goubeaux scored the tying run on Jason Shirley‘s fielder’s choice.

Jim Lundstrom hit a cue-shot double just inside the first base bag to start the third, and he scored on a Paul Hoenecke ground out to put Milwaukee up 3-2. The Penguins took the lead in the third with three hits, the final of which was a two-run single by Goubeaux.

The Penguins had runners at the corners with one out in the fourth and couldn’t score, and the Panthers tied the score in the top of the fifth. Jonathan Capasso was hit on a 1-2 pitch, and he scored on a Hoenecke double.

YSU was its own worst enemy in the seventh when Milwaukee scored the go-ahead run without recording a hit. Hoenecke reached on two-base error by Leon at second, and he went to third on a sacrifice bunt. With the infield in, Lipari moved to his left to stop a grounder and held Hoenecke at third, but the shortstop’s throw to first was wild, and Hoenecke came in to score the eventual winning run.

Goubeaux had a two-out single in the seventh, and that was YSU’s last hit. The Penguins went in order in each of the final two innings.

Kevin McCulloh suffered the loss fot the Penguins as he allowed the unearned run in the seventh. Aquadro allowed four runs on four hits in five innings in a no-decision. Eric Semmelhack earned the win for Milwaukee despite allowing four runs on 12 hits in six innings. Three Panther relievers combined to allow one hit in three shutout innings.

The Penguins and Panthers will play game two of their three-game series on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Youngstown State sophomore Kendrick Perry (Ocoee, Fla.) was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 12 Second-Team, the association announced on Wednesday.

Perry was named a First-Team All-Horizon League selection in 2011-12 and led the league in overall (16.8 ppg) and league-only (16.8 ppg) scoring. He also became just the fifth player in league history to lead the circuit in scoring and steals (2.4 spg) in conference play.

Perry also became the first Youngstown State player to earn first-team all-conference laurels since Quin Humphrey in 2006-07 and 2005-06.

The first sophomore in school history to earn first-team all-conference honors, Perry scored a team-best 521 points and became the first player to score 500 points in a season since Humphrey in 2006-07. He is also the first sophomore to score at least 500 points since Reggie Kemp in 1989-90.

Perry, who set the YSU single-season steals record with 24, led the league with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.0, ranked second in steals (2.4) in all games, ranked tied for third in assists per game (3.9) and ranked tied for 10th with 1.8 3-pointers made per game.

The Youngstown State football program will hold its third annual Women’s Football Coaching Clinic on Friday, March 30, at Stambaugh Stadium. The cost to attend the clinic is $25 and all proceeds will be donated to the ALS Association Fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The clinic will run from 6-9 p.m. on the YSU campus.

Registration will be from 5-6 p.m. and Hors D’oeuvres will be provided before the Coaching Clinic begins in the DeBartolo Stadium Club. The YSU Football Staff will present on the fundamentals of coaching and part of the clinic will be an up-close look at the WATTS.

The three-hour clinic is a great opportunity for female football fans to learn the concepts of every position on the field. The members of the YSU coaching staff will provide insight into what fans will see on gameday and learn about pregame preparation and game planning. The coaches will involve the participants into all drills for even more hands-on training.

All participants will receive a gift bag and raffle prizes from local merchants will be awarded throughout the event.

Contact Director of Football Operations Dan Kopp at dmkopp@ysu.edu or call the football office at (330) 941-3478 for more information.

Parking for the event will be in the F-7 Lot north of the stadium.

Norfolk State outscored the Youngstown State baseball team 7-1 in the final six innings to defeat the Penguins 10-4 on Tuesday at Marty L. Miller Field.  YSU led 3-1 after the top of the second despite having just two hits, and the Penguins’ bats managed six hits for the game.

The Penguins missed opportunities to take a sizable lead early. They had runners on second and third with nobody out in the first and managed just one run, and an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the second limited them to two runs.

David Leon and Craig Goubeaux both had two hits for YSU, whose top five batters in the line-up did not have a hit.

Jason Shirley and Drew Dosch walked to start the game and advanced on a wild pitch. Jeremy Banks brought in Shirley on a sacrifice fly, but two more flyouts kept YSU to just one run.

The Spartans also used two walks and a sacrifice fly to score in the bottom of the first, and both teams scored twice in the second. Singles from YSU’s Kevin Hix and Goubeaux and a walk to Phil Lipari loaded the bases with one out, and Norfolk State pitcher Horace Smith walked Shirley and Dosch to force in two runs. He then got Banks to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning, and YSU got just one more run the rest of the contest.

Norfolk State’s two runs in the second also came without a hit. A sacrifice bunt followed two walks, and Justin Lee brought in a run with a ground out. Another walk ended starter Joey Gajda‘s afternoon, and the Spartans tied the score on a wild pitch from reliever Josh North.

Neither team scored in the third, but the Spartans scored three two-out runs in the fourth to take a lead they would not relinquish. Shane Hoggard hit a leadoff single and went to third on a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt. After North got a ground out to keep Hoggard on third, James Taylor put the Spartans up with an RBI single. Taylor then scored on a wild pitch, and Chris Warren scored on Ryan Montgomery‘s RBI single that put Norfolk State ahead 6-3.

Goubeaux doubled in Leon with two outs in the sixth to cut YSU’s deficit to 6-4, but that was the Penguins’ last hit until there were two outs in the ninth.

YSU will start a three-game series with Milwaukee on Friday at Eastwood Field. Friday’s game will be the Penguins’ 2012 home and Horizon League opener.

Youngstown State senior first baseman Jeremy Banks has been named the Horizon League Batter of the Week for the second consecutive week, this time for the period of March 5-11, the conference office announced on March 12.

Banks becomes the first Penguin to repeat as the league’s player week since YSU joined the conference in 2002. He is also the first conference player to win batter-of-the-week accolades since Wright State’s Ross Oeder four years ago.

Banks batted .545 with three home runs, two doubles and eight RBIs over the weekend in YSU’s three games at VMI. He reached base in 10 of his 15 plate appearances for an on-base percentage of .667, and he posted a slugging percentage of 1.545. In the Penguins’ 10-2 win on Sunday, he hit a solo homer in the first inning and a go-ahead three-run home run in the eighth.

Banks leads the Horizon League in in batting average (.481), on-base percentage (.578), slugging percentage (.923), RBIs (23), home runs (5) and doubles (8).

UIC’s Brian Evak was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week.

YSU will play at Norfolk State on Tuesday before welcoming Milwaukee to Eastwood Field on Friday for the start of a three-game series.

Jake Giuriceo won a unanimous six-round decision in California on Saturday night.  The Bull (15-0-1) got by Jaime Orrantia(26-25-5) by winning all six rounds of the contest.  The fight in Orange County is the first step to national recognition for Giuriceo who is poised to make a jump in class.

“He was pretty unorthodox”, said Giuruceo via telephone.  “Really hard style to fight, but I did win every round of the fight and I feel great.  It was a good win for me and I was satisfied with my performance.”

Giuriceo will be waiting to hear from a couple of promoters who were in attendance Saturday.  Joe Corvino stated a couple of weeks ago that this was a fight to allow Giuriceo to showcase his growing library of skills.  Gary Shaw and Kenny Thompson were a couple of the promoters checking out “The Bull”.

“I hope they like what they saw”, remarked Giuriceo.  “We will be waiting to her something soon from them.”

The name of the game within the Las Vegas casino district is deception.  In days past, the goal of every casino was to get people into town in hopes of them blowing huge piles of money at their establishments.  They would sometimes throw the customer a free meal or tickets to a show, but even some of those perks are gone.  Having been to Vegas many, many times, a trend of deception is developing, and people need to be made aware of it.

In my most recent visit to Sin City, I stayed at Bally’s.  Having stayed at Bally’s once before, ten years earlier, I wasn’t thrilled because the casino was average in appearance and the rooms were well worn.  However, much has been done.  Mr. Bally must have made a few trips to Home Depot because the appearance of this hotel has improved greatly.  I was comped my room based on my player rating, which is merely accumulated through gambling and time spent on the machines and tables.

Before I shred this establishment with criticism, I will compliment the employees and staff.  Throughout my stay, they were hospitable and congenial.  Unfortunately, the rules they must enforce, in particular, hidden fees and charges, ultimately deter from the tips they may receive.

Once my group arrived at Bally’s, I learned about a hidden cost that irked me.  In order to have internet access, I would have to cough up $13.95, per 24-hour period that I wanted it.  For a five night stay, that total would hit $69.75.  My cable bill at home, which includes a Hi-Def package, HBO, Showtime, DVR, and my internet is $125.00 FOR THE WHOLE MONTH.

The next upsetting fee that I was not expecting was a $3 per day charge to use the safe in the room.  Nobody wants to carry all of their money around every second they are on vacation, especially in Las Vegas.  I have used a safe in a casino hotel room each time I have visited Las Vegas.  This was the first time I was ever asked to pay for it.

Another feature that blindsided me was the use of the hotel gym at Bally’s.  I learned that there was a $22.00 per day charge to use the facilities.  The fitness area was nothing different than I see at the gym I belong to in Youngstown, Ohio.  The 30-pound dumbbells weighed 30 pounds, just like the ones back home, and they didn’t play music, smoke, fizz, or make me feel any stronger when used.  This was the most disturbing of the charges.  Having stayed in Valparaiso, Indiana just a week before, the fitness area was complimentary and the treadmills there kept track of how many miles I would walk, just like the ones at Bally’s.

I was tempted several times the last couple of days I was there to call the front desk and ask if I would be charged fifty cents each time I flushed my toilet, a quarter for each square of toiled paper I would use, or a buck to use the shower.  Don’t be surprised if you see it soon.

So it is nice to be comped, but don’t think that your stay will be free.  I am sure Bally’s, as well as many other Las Vegas Strip casinos are just dreaming up new ways to squeeze something else out of their customers.  With casinos popping up everywhere in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, I would have thought the Vegas marketing department would do their homework to compete for my money.  I guess until they anger enough visitors, nothing will change.

I will return to Las Vegas again soon.  I will not stay at Bally’s.

Jake Giuriceo isn’t far along in his professional boxing career yet, but he is ready to adapt.  In a phone conversation with Giuriceo, he was emphatic about returning to his old ways, reinventing “The Bull” style of fighting.  Giuriceo will face Jaime Orrantia (26-24-5) on Saturday in a bout that says a lot about where the Campbell, Ohio natives career goes next.

The fight, which will take place at the Doubletree Hotel in Orange County, is a rare event outside of this area for The Bull.  Joe Corvino, Giuriceo’s manager, said that this fight will have potential promoters in the audience and hopes that Giuriceo can look sharp and land a good deal.  Corvino also noted that it is time for Giuriceo to fight on the road to help broaden his fan base.

“This guy has had 50 fights”, remarked Giuriceo.  “He is not going to be a pushover by any means.  Anyone with that many fights and has more wins than losses can present problems, so we are really working hard in the gym to get ready.”

Giuriceo (14-0-1, 3 KO’s) talked about what he needs to accomplish fighting a weight class higher than his last fight.

“I need to get back to being ‘The Bull’.  That means I will be be moving forward and throwing more punches, just really being more aggressive.  I think Frankie [Duarte] is excited about training me to be more aggressive, he loves it.”

Giuriceo will hope that promoters Gary Shaw and Kenny Thompson will like what they see so he can land the del that could springboard his career to the next step.

Either way, Giuriceo will be getting married after this fight and said his fiance, Jackie Mazias, will be flying out to California for this fight and to support her future husband.

Results will be posted here once I get them from Giuriceo or his camp.

Youngstown State senior first baseman Jeremy Banks has been named the Horizon League Batter of the Week for the period of Feb. 27 to March 4, the conference office announced on March 6.

Banks, a native of Steubenville, Ohio, batted .462 and was named to the all-tournament team last week as YSU competed at the Austin Peay Riverview Inn Classic. Banks reached base seven times in YSU’s 16-15 loss in 10 innings to Iowa on Sunday. He hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the ninth, recorded three singles and walked three times in the contest. He drove in a career-high six runs, and he scored three times. Banks also went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI against Austin Peay.

Banks currently leads the Horizon League in batting average (.463) and RBIs (15), and he is tied for the lead in home runs (2).

Valparaiso’s Tyler Deetjen was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week.

Banks and the Penguins will play three games at VMI this weekend.