Alabama State scored the final five runs after the Youngstown State baseball team tied the game in an 8-3 victory over the Penguins on a chilly Wednesday evening at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

Kevin Hix and Mike Accardi both had two hits for the Penguins, who rallied to tie the score at 3-3 after four innings. The Hornets scored three runs in the sixth and added two runs in the seventh.

YSU starter Ryan Krokos allowed three runs in the second inning, and five relievers combined to throw the final six innings. Jared Wight did not allow a run in the third through fifth innings, but he allowed a leadoff single in the sixth that led to a run and ended up being charged with the loss. Kevin Yarabinec did not allow a run and fanned two batters in the eighth.

Branden Castro was 3-for-4 with two RBIs to lead Alabama State.

Youngstown State got on the board first when with a run on two hits in the second inning. Alex Larivee and Hix had infield singles, and Kurt Laver was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Shane Willoughby then drew a walk to bring in Larivee, but ASU starter Drake Hloska got Accardi to ground out to leave the bases loaded.

The Hornets scored three runs on three hits in the second off Krokos, but an RBI double by Josh White in the third and an RBI triple by Accardi in the fourth allowed YSU to tie the score at 3-3.

Wight surrendered an Edgardo Rivera single to start the sixth, and the Hornets ended up scoring three runs on three hits and two errors in the inning. Emmannuel Marrero doubled in two insurance runs with two outs in the seventh for the final tally.

Hloska allowed two runs on five hits in three innings, and reliever Patrick Coffin surrendered one run on three innings to earn the victory.

YSU will travel to Cary, N.C. to play three games at the USA Baseball-Irish Classic this weekend. The Penguins will play Appalachian State on Friday, Notre Dame on Saturday and North Carolina State on Sunday.