Freshman Jillian Jakse went 3-for-5 with three runs batted in and hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the Youngstown State softball team to a 7-6 win and a doubleheader sweep of Oakland on Saturday afternoon at the YSU Softball Field. The Penguins won the nightcap, 11-3, in five innings.

The Penguins, who have won 18 of the last 20 games, improve to 27-9 overall and 20-4 in Horizon League play while the Golden Grizzlies fall to 16-12 overall and 15-9 in league play.

Senior Maddi Lusk and junior Alex DeLeon each had two hits and scored twice while freshman Sophie Howell picked up the win after striking out six in six innings of relief.

After the Penguins fought back down four and tied the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh, Jakse delivered a one-out double to center field that scored DeLeon with the game-winning run.

Down to their last out in the bottom of the seventh, senior Nikki Saibene's single down the right field line scored pinch-runner Sydney Payne with the game-tying run. Lusk led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a ground out. Jakse grounded out and Lusk scored an unearned run after a fielding error to get the Penguins within one, 6-5. Saibene's bloop single down the line followed.

The Golden Grizzlies struck first with three runs in the top of the second and added another in the top of the third to take a 4-0 lead.

The Penguins cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the third. Conchetta Rinaldi walked to lead off the frame and Lusk singled to put runners at first and second with one out. After a sacrifice bunt by Alex DeLeon, Jakse ripped a two-out double to center.

Oakland scored twice in the top of the fourth to take a 6-2 lead. Howell walked four batters that led to the Golden Grizzlies runs.

From that point, Howell struck out five and allowed just one walk.

The Penguins trimmed the deficit to 6-4 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Lusk's single-up the middle plated Taylor Boeckmann and DeLeon scored on a fielding error.

In the nightcap, the Penguins used an 11-run, eight-hit third inning to put the game away. YSU sent 14 players to the plate in the frame that featured a two-run single by Avrey Schumacher, a three-run home run by Saibene, a run-scoring double by Rinaldi, a two-run double by Lusk, a run-scoring single by DeLeon and a two-run homer by Jakse.

Oakland scored twice in the top of the fifth.

Elle Buffenbarger picked up her 13th win of the season and struck out two in the complete-game performance.

Youngstown State visits Robert Morris in a four game series, April 23-24, in Moon Township, Pa. First pitch on Friday is set for 2:30 p.m.