Andre Good tied the single-game school record with three home runs to lead the Youngstown State baseball team to a 17-13 series-clinching victory over Northern Kentucky on Sunday at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex in Highland Heights, Ky.
YSU scored in each of the first four innings, and a five-run second inning helped the Guins hold an 8-5 advantage after four frames. The Penguins exploded for seven runs in the top of the sixth, but the Norse countered with a five-spot in the seventh to pull within 16-11. Each team scored a single run the eighth and the Norse added a single tally in the ninth for the final margin. YSU scored at least one run in seven different innings while outhitting NKU 19-12 for the contest.
Youngstown State improves to 17-33 overall and 11-15 in Horizon League play while Northern Kentucky drops to 28-22 overall and 16-11 in league action. The Penguins claimed their third straight Horizon League series victory while winning for the 10th time in 11 games.
A day after tying the single-game school record with six home runs, the Penguins blasted five long balls in the series finale on Sunday. Good hit three dingers on his own to become just the fourth player in school history to hit three home runs in a game. He is the first Penguin to blast three homers in a single contest since Lorenzo Arcuri at Morehead State on March 7, 2017.
Good finished the game 4-for-5 with three home runs and four RBIs to lead the Penguins offensively. Steven D'Eusanio went 3-for-5 with an RBI while Trey Law went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two walks, an RBI and four runs scored. Turner Grau went 2-for-6 with a double, a triple and three RBIs while Braeden O'Shaughnessy and Ian Francis each hit a home run. Matt Thompson, Padraig O'Shaughnessy and RJ Sherwood added two hits apiece as all nine Penguins in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit.
YSU starter Cam Marshalwitz allowed three runs on three hits and three walks over three innings of work. Nick Perez was awarded the win after allowing seven runs, five of them earned, on six hits with four strikeouts in 3.1 innings of relief. Kenny Misik was charged with one run on three walks without recording an out while Casey Marshalwitz allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts over 2.2 innings.
The Penguins struck first in the top of the first inning when Braeden O'Shaughnessy hit a solo home run to left center field.
The Norse answered in the home half of the first when Noah Fisher hit a solo home run of his own to even the score at 1-1.
YSU responded by scoring five two-out runs on five hits in the top of the second inning to take a 6-1 lead. Thompson hit a one-out single and stole second before Francis belted a two-out, two-run blast over the wall in left field. Sherwood followed with a single and scored from first on Law's RBI double to right center. Braeden O'Shaughnessy walked and both he and Law advanced 90 feet on a double steal before Padraig O'Shaughnessy delivered a two-run double down the right field line.
Youngstown State extended its lead to 7-1 in the top of the third inning when Good hit a two-out solo home run to right field.
NKU shaved YSU's lead to 7-3 with a pair of solo home runs in the bottom of the third. Fisher led off the inning with his second home of the game to center field and Liam McFadden-Ackman sent a solo shot to left center two batters later.
The Penguins pushed their lead to 8-3 in the top of the fourth inning when Law hit a one-out double and scored on a two-out RBI single by D'Eusanio.
Northern Kentucky cut back into YSU's lead with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Cleary Simpson hit a two-out single, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Fisher. After Manny Voorhees walked, McFadden-Ackman drove in Fisher with an RBI single to reduce YSU's lead to 8-5.
YSU posted seven runs on six hits in the top of the sixth inning to build a 15-5 advantage. Sherwood hit a leadoff double, advanced to third on a bunt single by Law and scored on a sacrifice fly from Braeden O'Shaughnessy. Padraig O'Shaughnessy followed with a single before Law scored from second on a failed pickoff attempt at first base. After D'Eusanio walked, Grau lined a two-run triple to left center field and scored on an RBI single by Thompson. Good then belted a two-run blast, his second homer of the game, to center field.
The Norse struck for a single run in the bottom of the sixth when Fisher hit his third home run of the game to center field.
Youngstown State got the run back in the top of the seventh to increase its lead to 16-6. Law drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on a single by D'Eusanio and scored on a two-out RBI double by Grau.
NKU cut YSU's lead to 16-11 with five runs in the home half of the seventh inning. Nick Wimmers hit a leadoff single and came around to score when Peyton Lane reached on a fielder's choice. The Norse proceeded to draw five consecutive walks, four with the bases loaded, to pull with five runs. Casey Marshalwitz got back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat without further damage.
The Penguins got their lead back to six runs in the top of the eighth when Good led off the frame with this third home run of the game to right center.
Northern Kentucky plated a single run in the bottom of the eighth to draw within 17-12. Jayden Wakeham drew a leadoff walk and gave way to pinch runner Treyvin Moss, who stole second and scored on an RBI single by Lane.
The Norse scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the ninth when McFadden-Ackman drew a two-out walk, swiped second and scored on an RBI single by Wimmers.
NKU starter Kaden Echeman suffered the loss after allowing six runs on six hits in 1.2 innings. Five Norse relievers combined to surrender nine runs on 13 hits over the final 7.1 innings.
Youngstown State will play its final non-conference contest of the regular season on Tuesday when it faces Akron at Canal Park in downtown Akron at 10:30 a.m. The game will be broadcast live on YSNLive.com.
