Moon Township, Pa. – A three-run fourth inning was all the scoring senior pitcher Sophie Howell needed to push the Youngstown State softball team to a 4-1 victory and a series sweep of Robert Morris on Wednesday afternoon at the North Athletic Complex.

Howell, who won for the 16th time this season, scattered just five hits in a complete-game performance.

Youngstown State improves to 26-12 overall and 13-2 in the Horizon League while the Colonials fall to 10-18 overall and 5-7 in league action.

Seniors Conchetta Rinaldi and Hailey Niederkohr each drove in two runs to lead the Penguins offensively.

In the three-run fourth, Jillian Jakse and Kennedy Dean both walked to lead off the frame. A sacrifice bunt by Elyssa Imler, who had two hits, moved the runners to second and third, and Rinaldi's single to right field scored pinch runners Reese Campbell-Schaller and Ashlyn Bishop.

Two batters later, Niederkohr drilled a two-out double to left-center field to plate Rinaldi and give the Penguins a 3-0 lead.

Imler led off the sixth inning with a single to left field, and she advanced to third after a pair of wild pitches.

Niederkohr delivered her second two-out run-scoring hit with a single to left-center to score Imler for a 4-0 lead.

Robert Morris scored a run in the bottom half of the sixth.

Youngstown State is idle this weekend and returns to action with a doubleheader at Morehead State on Tuesday, April 16, at 12 p.m.