The Youngstown State softball team set a program record for most conference wins by picking up its 18th after a 3-2, 8-3 doubleheader sweep over Horizon League foe Oakland on Friday afternoon at the YSU Softball Field.

The Penguins improve to 25-9 overall and 18-4 in Horizon League play and broke the old record of 17 set in 2017. Oakland falls to 16-10 overall and 15-7 in the league.

In the opener, the Penguins used a two-run first inning and added another in the third to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Oakland scored two unearned runs in the top of the fourth, but senior Maddi Lusk retired the final eight batters to pick uo her 11th win of the year.

Three straight two-out singles by Jillian Jakse, who drove in Yazmine Romero, Avrey Schumacher and Nikki Saibene, who plated Jakse, gave the Penguins a 2-0 edge after one inning.

In the bottom of the third, Jakse led off with a double to right-center field and scored on Grace Cea's single.

Lusk, who struck out two, was credited with six assists from the circle.

In the nightcap, Youngstown State hit a pair of three-run home runs and senior Elle Buffenbarger struck out a career-high-tying 13 batters en route to her 12th win of the season.

The Penguins used another big first inning to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Schumacher crushed a two-out three-run home run to right-center field that scored Romero and Alex DeLeon, who walked and singled, respectively.

Buffenbarger recorded six strikeouts in the first two innings before Oakland's Madison Jones hit a one-out solo home run to left field to cut the lead to 3-1.

The Penguins answered with a five-run fourth to extend the to 8-1. Schumacher walked and Saibene reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt that put runners on first and second. After a sacrifice bunt by Hailey Roach, pinch-runner Sarah Bader scored on wild pitch, and pinch-hitter Milena Lacatena's single down the left-field line plated Saibene and put the Penguins up 5-1.

Lusk put the game out of reach with a two-out, three-run home run to centerfield and gave the Penguins an 8-1 lead.

The Golden Grizzlies scored twice in the top of the seventh inning.

Youngstown State and Oakland close out the series with a doubleheader, Saturday, April 17. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.