The Youngstown State baseball team rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to take the lead before falling 6-5 to N.C. Central on Friday evening at the Durham Athletic Park.

After falling behind 2-0, the Penguins scored once in the fifth and three times in the seventh to build a 4-2 advantage. However, NCCU answered with four runs in the home half of the seventh, which proved to be enough to secure the series-opening victory.

The Eagles improve to 5-9 overall with the win while the Penguins fall to 5-6 and have their three-game winning streak snapped.

With YSU trailing 2-1 going into the top of the seventh inning, Andre Good hit a leadoff single and Steven D'Eusanio followed with a walk. After Dominick Bucko struck out looking, Nick Caruso delivered a single into right field that plated Good, and an ensuing error by the right fielder allowed D'Eusanio to race home as well and give the Penguins the lead. After Caruso reached third on a groundout, Lucas Nasonti drove him in with an RBI single to extend YSU's advantage to 4-2. The Guins had four hits in the seventh after totaling just three over the first six frames.

NCCU responded with four runs on three hits in the home half of the seventh. YSU starter Colin Clark allowed a leadoff single by Cameron Norgren and hit Carter Williams with one out before giving way to Dalton Earich out of the bullpen. Michael Alicea greeted Earich with an RBI double off the wall in right center field, and Luis DeLeon followed with a two-run single to put the Eagles back in front. N.C. Central pushed its lead to 6-4 when Trey Maslin brought home DeLeon from third with a bunt.

Youngstown State had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the eighth inning but could manage only one run. Good drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Grau. NCCU reliever Brendan Bell, who came on to get the final two outs in the top of the eighth inning, then retired the Penguins in order in the ninth to earn his third save of the season.

Jeff Wehler went 2-for-4 with a walk and two stolen bases while Grau singled and recorded two RBIs. Six different Penguins recorded a hit in the contest. YSU outhit NCCU 7-6 but committed five errors and left eight runners on base.

Clark allowed four runs, two of them earned, on four hits while matching his season and career high with nine strikeouts over 6.1 innings in a no decision. The junior walked only one batter while recording a strikeout in six different innings. After allowing two unearned runs in the first inning, Clark blanked the Eagles over the next five innings while facing the minimum in three different frames.

Alicea paced N.C. Central with two hits while DeLeon and Maslin each drove in a pair of runs.

The Eagles took their early lead with two runs on one hit and two errors in the bottom of the first inning. Williams reached on an error to begin the inning and eventually scored on an RBI single from Maslin. Vinny Bailey, who was hit a pitch, then scored NCCU's second run on YSU's second of five errors in the game.

The Penguins cut the deficit in half with a run on two hits in the top of the fifth inning. Bucko hit a one-out double to left center field, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out RBI single through the left side by Grau.

NCCU starter Ryan Miller was responsible for four runs, three of them earned, on five hits while striking out nine over 6.1 innings. He limited the Penguins to just three hits over the first six innings. Scott Meylan was awarded the victory after allowing one run over 0.2 innings of relief. Bell did not allow a hit while recording the final five outs for the Eagles.

Earich was charged with his first loss after surrendering two runs, one of them earned, on two hits without recording an out. Chad Coles and Casey Marshalwitz did not allow a hit over a combined 1.2 innings.

The Penguins and Eagles will continue their three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. Senior left-hander Collin Floyd will start for Youngstown State.