The Youngstown State baseball team scored seven runs over the first two innings on its way to an 11-6 victory and the series win over Bellarmine on Saturday at Knights Field.

The Penguins struck early with five runs in the top of the first inning before the Knights plated one run in the home half. YSU answered with two runs in the second and one in the fourth to build an 8-1 advantage. Bellarmine scored once in the sixth to get within 8-2 before Youngstown State got the run back in the top of the seventh. The Penguins added a pair of runs in the eighth to extend their lead to 11-2 before the Knights scored once in the eighth and three times in the ninth to produce the final margin of 11-6.

Youngstown State won its third straight game to improve to 28-21 overall while Bellarmine falls to 13-33. The Penguins earned the series win after opening the three-game set with an 11-3 victory on Friday.

For the second straight day, YSU's offensive attack backed a tremendous starting pitching performance. YSU starter Collin Floyd allowed two runs on just three hits and struck out seven batters over seven innings to earn his eighth victory of the season. He is the first Penguin since Aaron Swenson in 2010 to win at least eight decisions in a season. After allowing two singles in the bottom of the first inning, the senior southpaw did not allow another hit until a solo home run in the sixth. Floyd retired the side in order in the second, fourth and fifth innings, and he struck out the side in the third. The Akron, Ohio, native retired eight straight batters between the third and sixth frames. Floyd also recorded a strikeout in five different innings.

The Penguins had 11 different players record a hit in the contest, and eight different players drove in at least one run as YSU outhit Bellarmine 17-7. Dominick Bucko and Blaze Glenn each had three hits to pace the Penguins' offense, and Glenn drove in a pair of runs. Steven D'Eusanio and Phillip Glasser registered two hits apiece, and D'Eusanio added two RBIs.

Turner Grau went 1-for-3 with an RBI triple and three runs scored. With his seventh triple of the season, Grau tied the single-season school record set by Lou Vassalotti in 1994. The Penguins have now hit 22 triples as a team in 2021, which ranks as the second most in a season in school history. YSU's 22 triples are most since the Penguins set the school record with 25 in 1997.

The Penguins grabbed an early lead by scoring five runs on seven hits and sending 10 batters to the plate in the top of the first inning. Glasser hit a one-out single and scored on an RBI double to right field by Bucko. After Bucko advanced to third on a wild pitch, Glenn delivered an RBI single up the middle. Grau then reached on a fielder's choice and Padraig O'Shaughnessy followed with an RBI double to right center. D'Eusanio then brought home O'Shaughnessy with an RBI single to left field. After advancing to second on a single by Nick Caruso, D'Eusanio scored on an RBI single by Lucas Nasonti.

The Knights shaved YSU's lead to 5-1 with one run on two hits in the home half of the first inning. Josh Finerty was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, and he advanced to third on a single by Matt Higgins. Later in the frame, Clayton Mehlbauer delivered a two-out RBI single through the left side that plated Finerty.

Youngstown State extended its lead to 7-1 with two runs on two hits and an error in the top of the second inning. Bucko reached with a one-out single before Grau hit a two-out RBI triple and scored on an ensuing throwing error. The Penguins pushed their advantage to 8-1 in the top of the fourth inning when Glasser drew a one-out walk and scored on an RBI single to right field by Glenn.

Bellarmine scored its second run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when Davis Crane hit a one-out solo home run to right field.

YSU got the run back in the top of the seventh inning when Padraig O'Shaughnessy reached on a throwing error and came around to score on an RBI double to left center by D'Eusanio. The Guins increased their lead to 11-2 with two runs on four hits in the top of the eighth inning. Andre Good and Blake Benyo each delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the frame.

The Knights scored their third run in the bottom of the eighth when Finerty hit a leadoff double and scored on a two-out RBI single by Crane. Bellarmine added three runs in the bottom of the ninth when Higgins hit a three-run home run to right field.

Conner Johnson allowed one run on three hits and struck out two batters in the eighth inning before Nick Perez surrendered the three-run home run in the ninth. Perez also struck out a pair of batters during his lone inning of work.

Bellarmine starter Jacob Nagel suffered the loss after allowing eight runs, seven of them earned, on 11 hits over four innings. Anthony Ethington was responsible for three runs, two of which were earned, on four hits over 3.2 innings while Blake Wheeler allowed two hits over 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Higgins, Crane and Mehlbauer each had two hits to lead the Knights offensively, and Higgins had a game-high three RBIs.

The Penguins and Knights will conclude their three-game non-conference series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Live audio will be available at YSNLive.com.