Fort Wayne, Ind. -- Purdue Fort Wayne scored five runs between the third and fifth innings, and the Youngstown State baseball team couldn't muster enough offense to mount a rally as the Mastodons won the series finale 6-3 on Sunday.
The Penguins, who had scored at least nine runs in four straight games, had their three-game winning streak in Horizon League play snapped by the 'Dons. Youngstown State was held to six hits - each of which were singles - on Sunday, and three came from leadoff batter Trey Law. Purdue Fort Wayne had nine hits, and four went for extra bases.
Law singled on the first pitch of the game, and he moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball. He then scored on a two-out infield single by cleanup batter Ian Francis to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.
Youngstown State had an 8-0 edge in home runs in the series coming into Sunday's finale, and the Mastodons tied the game on the fifth pitch of the bottom of the first inning as Jacob Walker hit a solo blast to left.
The Penguins struck back with two runs in the top of the third, and Law was the catalyst again. He led off the frame with a single to right, and Brett Stanley followed with a single to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Stanley then stole second, and Law scored from third when the throw to second was wild. Stanley took an extra base on the error, and he scampered home on a wild pitch to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead.
The 'Dons took a 4-3 lead with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the third, and the go-ahead run came across on a two-out single by Luke Miles. Purdue Fort Wayne then got a double play with two runners on to end the fourth, and Cade Fitzpatrick hit a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth to extend the Mastodons' lead to 6-3. Neither team scored over the final four innings.
All six of Purdue Fort Wayne's runs went against YSU starter Sloan Ulrich, who allowed eight hits in five innings. Aidan English allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two batters in three innings of relief to cap an outstanding weekend by YSU's bullpen. Penguins relievers allowed just one run on five hits in 12.1 innings in the three-game set against the 'Dons.
Purdue Fort Wayne starter Brody Fine pitched 5.1 innings and allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on four hits and five walks to earn his first victory of the campaign. Kevin Fee got the final 11 outs for the Mastodons and allowed two hits and a walk to record his fourth save.
Youngstown State has five games at Eastwood Field scheduled for next week as it concludes its April schedule. The Penguins will host Kent State on Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Akron on Wednesday at 5 p.m., and they'll play Oakland in a three-game conference slate on Friday through Sunday.
