Dominick Bucko went 6-for-8 with two home runs and seven RBIs on the day to lead the Youngstown State baseball team to a doubleheader sweep and the 3-1 series win over UIC on Saturday at Eastwood Field.

The Penguins, who have now won three consecutive series, took game one 15-10 before winning game two by a final of 14-9. YSU improves to 14-13 overall and 9-7 in Horizon League play while UIC falls to 8-14 and 7-9 in conference action. The Penguins also improved to 9-2 at Eastwood Field.

Game 1 Recap

The Youngstown State baseball team jumped out to 13-2 lead and held on for a 15-10 victory over UIC in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday at Eastwood Field.

The Penguins, who trailed 2-1 after the top of the second inning, scored the next 12 runs of the game to build a 13-2 advantage. The Flames chipped away at the lead with four runs in the sixth and three in the seventh to get within 13-9. YSU added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run home run from Bucko before UIC scored once in the ninth to produce the final margin.

Bucko went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored while Phillip Glasser was 3-for-3 with two walks, two RBIs and three runs scored. Lucas Nasonti went 3-for-5 with three runs scored while Nick Caruso hit a three-run homer and scored twice.

Eight different Penguins recorded a hit in the contest as YSU outhit UIC 15-14. Youngstown State's 15 runs were its second-most in a game this season.

YSU starter Jon Snyder earned his third win of the season after allowing six runs, five of them earned, on eight hits and striking out five batters over 5.2 innings. Dalton Earich surrendered three runs on four hits over 1.1 innings while Joel Hake was responsible for one run on two hits over a season-high two innings.

In the top of the first inning, Ryan Nagelbach drew a one-out walk before Matt Bottcher and Joshua Figueroa hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. After Cole Conn hit an infield fly for the second out of the inning, Bryan Rosario reached on an error that allowed Nagelbach to score UIC's first run of the game.

The Penguins evened the score at 1-1 in the home half of the first when Glasser hit a one-out triple to left field and scored on an RBI groundout by Padraig O'Shaughnessy.

The Flames went back in front 2-1 in the top of the second when Thomas Norton led off the inning with a solo home run to left field.

YSU responded with six runs on six hits in the bottom of the second inning to take a 7-2 lead. Blaze Glenn drew a one-out walk, Bucko singled to center field and Caruso followed with a three-run blast over the wall in left field. After Nasonti and Jeff Wehler hit back-to-back infield singles and advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch, Glasser drove them both home with a single to left field. Padraig O'Shaughnessy then delivered an RBI double to left center that plated Glasser.

The Penguins added four runs on three hits in the home half of the fourth. Nasonti hit a leadoff single up the middle and proceeded to steal second. Glasser drew a one-out walk and both runners advanced 90 feet on a double steal. After Padraig O'Shaughnessy walked to load the bases, Steven D'Eusanio sent a bases-clearing double down the left field line that pushed YSU's advantage to 10-2. Turner Grau followed with an RBI single up the middle that scored D'Eusanio to make it 11-2.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Caruso and Nasonti reached on back-to-back errors before Wehler hit an RBI single to center field that scored Caruso. After Glasser walked to load the bases, Nasonti scored on a wild pitch to push the Penguins' lead to 13-2.

UIC cut YSU's lead to 13-6 with four runs on two hits in the top of the sixth inning. Norton hit an RBI single, Cory Moore drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Thomas Smart hit a two-run triple to deep center field.

The Flames pulled within 13-9 with three runs on four hits in the top of the seventh. Bottcher led off with a single up the middle, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single by Figueroa. After a base hit by Conn, Norton brought home Figueroa with an RBI single to right field. Conn was then able to score on a throwing error after a fly out to cut the margin to four runs.

The Penguins added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to go in front 15-9. Glenn drew a one-out walk and Bucko followed with a two-run home run to right field.

In the top of the ninth inning, Conn hit a leadoff double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Norton to account for the final margin of 15-10.

Bottcher, Figueroa and Norton each had three hits for the Flames, and Norton recorded a game-high four RBIs.

UIC starter Ryan O'Reilly suffered the loss after allowing nine runs on eight hits over 3.1 innings. Teague Conrad allowed four runs, two of them earned, on three hits over 1.2 innings while Mark McCabe was responsible for two runs on four hits in three innings of work.

Game 2 Recap

The Youngstown State baseball team built a 9-3 advantage and was able to survive a late push by UIC in a 14-9 victory in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at Eastwood Field.

The Penguins led 9-3 after four innings before the Flames scored a pair of runs in the top of fifth to make it a four-run game. YSU pushed its lead back to six runs at 11-5 with two runs in the home half of the fifth before UIC plated three runs in the sixth to make it 11-8. The Penguins added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth and the Flames scored once in the ninth to produce the final margin.

Bucko went 3-for-4 with a home run and a career-high five RBIs while Wehler was 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. Glasser and Padraig O'Shaughnessy each went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

YSU starter Nick Perez earned his second win of the season after allowing seven runs on six hits over 5.2 innings. Kenny Misik was responsible for one run on two hits while Chad Coles did not allow a hit over two scoreless innings. Hake retired the only batter he faced in the eighth, and Gary Clift Jr. surrendered one run on one hit and two walks in the ninth.

The Flames jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with two runs on two hits in the top of the first inning as Figueroa and Rosario each notched RBI singles.

The Penguins tied the game with a pair of runs in the home half of the first inning. Wehler hit a leadoff single and stole second before moving to third on a single from Glasser. After Glasser swiped second base, Padraig O'Shaughnessy delivered a two-run single up the middle that plated Wehler and Glasser to even the score at 2-2.

UIC regained the lead at 3-2 with one run on one hit in the top of the second inning. Smart was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Nagelbach.

YSU answered in the home half of the second as Bucko hit a solo blast to right field to even the score at 3-3. Nasonti then singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Padraig O'Shaughnessy to give YSU a 4-3 advantage.

The Penguins added to their lead with five runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth inning. After Nasonti reached on an error to begin the inning, Wehler legged out an RBI triple to left center. Wehler then scored on a sacrifice fly from Glasser to make it a 6-3 YSU lead. After a pair of singles by Padraig O'Shaughnessy and Grau, Glenn was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bucko then delivered a three-run double down the left field line to increase the Penguins' edge to 9-3.

UIC closed the gap to 9-5 with two runs in the top of the fifth. Nagelbach drew a leadoff walk and Bottcher followed with a double to put runners at second and third. Figueroa and Conn then hit consecutive sacrifice flies to score Nagelbach and Bottcher to pull the Flames within four runs.

Youngstown State got both runs back in home half of the fifth to move in front 11-5. Dylan Swarmer hit a leadoff single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nasonti. After Wehler drew a one-out walk, both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Glasser then delivered a two-run sacrifice fly to left center field that allowed Swarmer and Wehler to score.

UIC climbed back within three runs at 11-8 when Nagelbach hit a three-run homer in the top of the sixth inning.

The Penguins added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to build the lead to 14-8. Bucko and Andre Good each notched RBI singles, and Bucko scored on an error.

The Flames plated one run in the ninth when Bottcher doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rosario.

Bottcher went 3-for-4 with three runs scored for UIC while Nagelbach was 2-for-4 with a team-high four RBIs.

UIC starter Tanner Shears suffered the loss after allowing six runs, five of them earned, on eight hits over three innings of work. Chris Torres was responsible for five runs on four hits over two innings. Nate Davis pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief before Joey Morris surrendered three runs over the final 1.2 innings.

Youngstown State will resume Horizon League play on Friday when it opens a four-game series at Milwaukee at 4 p.m. ET.