The Youngstown State baseball team's offense exploded for 18 runs on 20 hits to back a great pitching performance from Jon Snyder in an 18-6 victory over Northern Kentucky in the series finale on Sunday at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

Nick Caruso set new career highs with four hits and six RBIs as he went 4-for-4 with a three-run home run, three singles and three runs scored. The senior catcher became the first Penguin to record six RBIs in a game since Blaze Glenn drove in six runs in a win over St. Bonaventure on April 24, 2019.

Youngstown State improves to 18-17 overall and 13-11 in Horizon League play while Northern Kentucky falls to 13-17 overall and 11-12 against the conference. The Penguins have recorded at least 13 Horizon League wins for the third time in program history and for the first time since 2008. YSU, which has won 13 of its last 19 games, salvaged a 2-2 series split with Sunday's victory.

After falling behind 1-0, the Penguins scored the next 13 runs of the game to take control. YSU scored at least one run in each of the final seven innings of the contest. The Penguins had 11 different players record a hit while six different YSU players had at least two hits. Sunday's win marked the second time this season that YSU registered 20 or more hits in a game.

YSU's offense provided plenty of run support for Snyder, who allowed one run on just two hits and struck out nine batters over six strong innings to earn his fourth win of the season. The junior right-hander recorded at least one strikeout in each of the six innings he was on the mound, and he had multiple punch outs in each of the first three frames. Snyder sat down the side in order in the third and fourth innings during a stretch where he retired 10 straight batters.

Andre Good went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run, two RBIs and four runs scored. Phillip Glasser went 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Glenn was 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Padraig O'Shaughnessy and Lucas Nasonti also had two hits apiece for the Penguins.

The Norse took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Liam McFadden-Ackman hit a solo home run to center field. The Penguins evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the third when Good hit a leadoff single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Caruso and scored on an RBI single from Nasonti.

Youngstown State grabbed a 6-1 lead with five runs on six hits in the top of the fourth inning. Glenn led off the inning with a solo home run and Turner Grau followed with a double down the right field line. Good then delivered a one-out RBI double and Caruso followed with an RBI single. After Nasonti reached with a single, Jeff Wehler came through with an RBI single through the left side. After Nasonti and Wehler advanced 90 feet on a double steal, Glasser brought home Nasonti with a sacrifice fly.

The Penguins pushed their lead to 9-1 with three runs on two hits in the top of the fifth inning. Dominick Bucko was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, and Glenn followed with a walk. Padraig O'Shaughnessy hit a one-out RBI single through the right side before Good was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Caruso then came through with a two-run single down the left field line to give YSU an eight-run advantage.

YSU increased its lead to 10-1 with one run on two hits in the top of the sixth. Glasser drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on a single by Bucko and scored on an RBI single from Glenn.

The Penguins added three runs on a pair of hits in the top of the seventh to push their lead to 13-1. Good led off the inning with his first home run of the season. Caruso reached with a single before Nasonti and Wehler drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Glasser then walked with the bases loaded and Bucko brought home a run with a sacrifice fly.

The Norse plated their second run of the game in the bottom of the seventh when Bryce Thomas hit a two-out single and scored on an RBI triple by Griffin Kain.

Youngstown State put four more runs on the board in the top of the eighth to build a 17-2 edge. Padraig O'Shaughnessy and Good drew consecutive walks to set up a three-run home run from Caruso. Glasser added a solo home run later in the inning. The Penguins scored their final run in the top of the ninth when O'Shaughnessy singled and scored on an RBI triple by Dylan Swarmer.

Northern Kentucky scored four times in the bottom of the ninth to produce the final margin. Billy Marion hit a two-run triple and Jackson Haas hit a two-run home run.

NKU starter Bryson Lonsbury allowed one run on two hits over 2.1 innings before being pulled. Michael Bohlen was saddled with the loss after surrendering two runs on two hits over a third of an inning. The Norse used 11 different pitchers in the contest.

Joel Hake allowed one run on two hits in the seventh while Dalton Earich worked a scoreless eighth inning for YSU. Gary Clift Jr. was responsible for four unearned runs on a pair of hits in the ninth.

Youngstown State will continue Horizon League play on Friday when it opens a four-game series against Oakland at Eastwood Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on YSNLive.com.