The Youngstown State baseball team scored a season-high 15 runs on its way to earning the Horizon League series win with a 15-4 victory over Milwaukee in the series finale on Saturday afternoon at Eastwood Field.
The Penguins improved to 12-24 overall and 5-7 in Horizon League play while Milwaukee dropped to 12-16 overall and 3-7 in league action. YSU earned the series win after also taking the series opener 4-2 on Thursday.
Milwaukee scored once in the first inning and twice in the second to build a 3-0 lead before YSU scored the next seven runs of the game. After the Panthers scored once in the seventh to get within 7-4, the Penguins answered with three in the home half of the seventh and five in the eighth to pull away for the 15-4 triumph. Youngstown State scored in each of its final six at bats on its way to scoring a season-high 15 runs on 10 hits.
Steven D'Eusanio went 3-for-5 with two RBIs while Padraig O'Shaughnessy was 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run home run and four RBIs. Chase Franken went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored while Trey Law was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Braeden O'Shaughnessy doubled, drove in a run and scored twice.
YSU starter Matt Brosky earned his third win of the season after allowing four runs, two of them earned, on 10 hits over seven innings of work. Casey Marshalwitz and Kenny Misik each came on to toss a scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts.
Milwaukee was strangely able to outhit Youngstown State 11-10 as Justin Hausser led the Panthers' offensive charge with a 3-for-4 performance. Mark Connelly, Aaron Chapman and Jake Novak each added two hits apiece for the Panthers.
MKE starter Nick Gilhaus suffered the loss after surrendering seven runs on seven hits and five walks over five innings. Andrew Neu tossed a scoreless inning of relief before Curtis Sheahan allowed three runs over one inning. Johnny Kelliher was responsible for five runs on one hit and five walks in his lone inning of work.
The Panthers grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Connelly hit a one-out triple and scored on an RBI groundout by Conner Goodman.
Milwaukee plated a pair of unearned runs in the top of the second to increase its advantage to 3-0. After Nate DeYoung reached on an error to begin the frame, Hausser advanced him to third with a single and Novak drove him home with an RBI single to right field. After Jacob Kaiser was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Hausser scored when Luke Seidel reached on a fielder's choice.
The Penguins scored two runs on two hits in the bottom of the third inning to get within 3-2. Franken drew a leadoff walk and Padraig O'Shaughnessy followed with an RBI double down the right field line. After Padraig O'Shaughnessy advanced to third on a groundout, Steven D'Eusanio drove him in with a two-out RBI single up the middle.
YSU seized a 4-3 lead in the home half of the fourth when Franken reached on a two-out infield single and Padraig O'Shaughnessy followed with a two-run blast to right center field.
Youngstown State pushed its lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the fifth when Braeden O'Shaughnessy hit a one-out double and D'Eusanio followed with an RBI single up the middle.
The Penguins built their lead up to 7-3 with two runs on one hit in the bottom of the sixth inning. Dylan Swarmer drew a leadoff walk and Franken followed with a single. Each runner scored on a wild pitch later in the inning to give YSU a four-run lead.
Milwaukee got within 7-4 when Connelly led off the top of the seventh inning with a solo home run to right field.
YSU extended its lead to 10-4 with three runs on two hits and an error in the home half of the seventh inning. D'Eusanio led off the frame with a single and Andre Good followed with a walk. D'Eusanio came around to score on a wild pitch and Good raced home when Franken reached on a fielder's choice. Law, who reached with a bunt single, would score when Padraig O'Shaughnessy reached on an error to give the Penguins a six-run cushion.
The Guins added five runs of insurance in the bottom of the eighth to produce the final margin of 15-4. Law came through with a two-run single, Franken drove in a run with an RBI groundout and Lucas Nasonti brought home a run with a sacrifice fly. The final run of the contest came when Braeden O'Shaughnessy was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Youngstown State will continue its homestand on Friday when it welcomes Oakland for a Horizon League doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Both contests will be broadcast live on YSNLive.com.
