Philadelphia -- The Youngstown State baseball team hit three home runs, and starter Aaron Swenson improved to 3-0 as the Penguins defeated La Salle 7-5 on Friday at Hank DeVincent Field.

The Penguins were outhit 16-14, but they hit two more homers and stranded just four runners. YSU upped its record to 7-6 while La Salle fell to 2-12.

"Today we just did what we had to do to win," YSU head coach Rich Pasquale said. "Swenson gave us another good outing, and our bullpen stepped up to preserve the win for him. Offensively, we did a great job of getting hits when we needed them. I'm proud of the way we fought."

Five different players had at least two hits for YSU, and three of those five went deep. Jacke Healey hit his seventh home run on a two-run shot in the third that put the Penguins ahead 2-1. Eric Marzec hit a two-run blast as part of a four-run sixth, and Joe Iacobucci hit a solo home run in the eighth to give YSU a 7-2 advantage.

La Salle made things interesting in the eighth with three runs on five hits as Swenson was finally chased from the game after surrendering 15 hits. Alex Frey came on to record the final out of the frame, and Marzec retired the Explorers in order in the ninth to earn his fourth save.

Swenson struck out five batters and walked just one in 7.2 innings. He continually worked out of jams as the Explorers stranded eight runners in the first seven innings.

John Malloy had three singles and a solo home run to lead La Salle.

The Explorers took a 1-0 lead on Swenson in the first when they executed a double steal with runners at the corners. Healey's two-run homer in the third gave YSU its first lead, but Malloy's solo shot to lead off the third tied the score at 2-2.

Neither team scored until the sixth when YSU took the lead for good with four runs on six hits, four of which started the inning. Armani Johnson and Healey hit back-to-back doubles to start the inning, and Anthony Porter singled in Healey. Marzec followed with a two-run homer to left for his second round-tripper of the year. Iacobucci's third home run in the eight put YSU on top 7-2.

Swenson struck out the first batter in the bottom of the eighth, but the next three straight hits resulted with a run and runners on second and third. Swenson fanned another hitter for the second out, but two more runs came in on a wild pitch and a Malloy single. Frey came in and allowed a pinch-hit single to put runners on first and second, but he got a ground out to end the inning. The Explorers did not hit a ball out of the infield on Marzec in the ninth.

Kevin Christy suffered his third loss for La Salle, allowing six runs on nine hits while striking out five in five innings.

The Penguins will stay in the Philadelphia area for two more games this weekend. They'll play at Saint Joseph's on Saturday at 1 p.m.