Northern Kentucky used a six-run fourth inning to pull away for a 15-3 victory over the Youngstown State baseball team on Saturday afternoon at Eastwood Field.

The Norse improved to 10-18 overall and 5-5 in Horizon League play while the Penguins dropped to 10-21 overall and 3-5 in league action.

NKU grabbed an early advantage with three runs in the top of the second before YSU answered with three runs of its own in the home half of the inning. The Norse broke the tie with six runs in the top of the fourth inning and went on to add two in the eighth and four in the ninth.

Dylan Swarmer went 2-for-4 with an RBI while Steven D'Eusanio doubled and scored a run. Braeden O'Shaughnessy and Ian Francis each notched a single while Padraig O'Shaughnessy and Lucas Nasonti each drove in a run. The Norse outhit the Penguins 16-5 for the contest.

YSU starter Travis Perry allowed three runs on five hits over two innings in a no-decision. Brandon Mikos took the loss after surrendering three runs on one hit and two walks in one inning of relief. Alex Cardona was responsible for three runs in two thirds of an inning before Nick Perez permitted five runs, three of them earned, over 4.1 innings. AJ Clegg was charged with one run on two hits while striking out a pair of batters in two thirds of an inning.

The Norse took the lead with three runs on three hits in the top of the second inning. Brennan Gick led off the frame with a solo home run to right center. Brandon Tucker recorded a one-out RBI double and Zack Minton drove home a run with a sacrifice fly to give NKU a 3-0 edge.

The Penguins responded immediately with three runs on three hits in the home half of the second inning. D'Eusanio hit a leadoff double, Andre Good walked and Francis singled to load the bases. Swarmer drove in a run with an infield single, Padraig O'Shaughnessy drew a bases loaded walk and Nasonti pushed across a run when he reached on a fielder's choice to even the score at 3-3.

Northern Kentucky blew the game open with six runs on four hits in the top of the fourth inning. Manny Vorhees drew a bases loaded walk before Treyvin Moss followed with a two-run single. Ryan Glass came through with an RBI single before Gick delivered a two-out, two-run single to right center to push NKU's advantage to 9-3.

NKU added some insurance with two runs on one hit and one error in the top of the eighth inning. Tucker reached on an error, Vorhees hit a one-out double and Moss was intentionally walked to load the bases. Glass then drove home a pair of runs when he reached on a fielder's choice to increase NKU's lead to 11-3. The Norse added two runs in the eighth inning and four in the ninth to produce the final tally.

NKU starter Kyle Klingenbeck earned the win after allowing three runs on three hits and striking out 10 batters over five innings of work. Bryson Lonsbury picked up his third save of the season after allowing two hits and fanning five batters over four scoreless innings of relief.

Liam McFadden-Ackman led Northern Kentucky with four hits, and he was one of six Norse to record multiple hits in the contest. Vorhees, Moss, Glass and Gick each registered three RBIs while Tucker scored a game-high four runs.

The Penguins and Norse will conclude their three-game Horizon League series on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on YSNLive.com.