Braeden O'Shaughnessy slugged a grand slam as part of a three-hit day, and the Youngstown State baseball team scored 12 runs in the final two innings in an 18-3 victory over Oakland on Thursday at Eastwood Field in the Horizon League opener for both teams.

The Penguins set new season highs in the runs and hits column as they topped the Golden Grizzlies in their 2023 home opener at Eastwood Field. The high offensive output backed a solid outing by starter Travis Perry, who held the Golden Grizzlies to one run over 6.2 innings before YSU pulled away late. 

Eight different Penguins had hits, and six of them had at least three hits. Turner Grau went 4-for-5 with three RBIs, and O'Shaughnessy went 3-for-4 while driving in six runs and scoring four times. Trey Law, Steven D'Eusanio, Andre Good and Eddie Saucedo also had three hits apiece. 

On the mound, Perry had his longest outing of the season as he limited Oakland to one run on three hits in 6.2 innings while striking out six batters. He allowed three singles, one of which was on a bad hop in the infield, and the lone run against him came in the fourth. He left with a 6-1 lead, and O'Shaughnessy's grand slam gave him plenty of cushion with one swing. 

The Penguins grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. O'Shaughnessy drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on a double by Grau and scored on a sacrifice fly from D'Eusanio. 

YSU added two runs on five consecutive two-out singles in the home half of the second inning. After Oakland starter Bryce Konitzer retired the first two batters of the inning, Saucedo, Eli Brown, Law, O'Shaughnessy and Grau hit five straight singles to give YSU a 4-0 lead. Law, O'Shaughnessy and Grau delivered run-scoring knocks. 

Oakland's lone run against Perry came in the fourth as the fifth-year senior walked the leadoff batter and issued his first hit on a single by Ian Cleary that put runners at the corners. Thomas Green followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Drew Collins and make the score 4-1. 

The Penguins added a pair of runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth to push their advantage to 6-1. Law hit a leadoff double, O'Shaughnessy followed with a single, and both runners scored on a two-run triple down the right-field line by Grau. 

Perry handed the ball to Braden Gebhardt with two outs and a runner on in the seventh, and Gebhardt recorded the final out to protect the lead. 

O'Shaughnessy's homer with the bases juiced in the seventh gave the Penguins a 10-1 lead, and Youngstown State scored five runs before recording an out in an eight-run eighth inning to widen the gap. Good delivered the highlight with a no-doubt homer that sailed over the second wall in right field, and he added a two-run double in his second trip to the plate in the inning. 

Oakland scored single tallies in each of the final two innings for the final result. 

Perry earned his second win of the season, and Gebhardt allowed one run in 1.1 innings. Brandin Anderson pitched the ninth and allowed an unearned run. Konitzer was charged with his first loss for Oakland after allowing six runs and 11 hits in four innings. 

The Penguins and Golden Grizzlies are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 3 p.m. at Eastwood Field.