Lockport, Ill. — Youngstown State's bowling team averaged 226.4 over its final two matches and posted the fifth-highest Baker pinfall to open the Flyer Classic on Friday. 

The Penguins went 4-1 in their head-to-head matches at Strike & Spare II, and they surged up the standings with their back-to-back 1,100 sets to end the round. Youngstown State finished with 5,177 pins over its five matches to average 207.1 for the day, and it has five more matches of qualifying on Saturday to try and continue its climb.

Jacksonville State, which is ranked third in the most recent NTCA Top 25 poll, leads the 22-team field with a 5,439 pinfall. No. 7 Wichita State is second (5,329), No. 6 North Carolina A&T is third (5,304), and No. 10 Maryville is fourth (5,291). The Penguins have a 110-pin lead on sixth-place Oklahoma Christian, and YSU is ahead of No. 1 Nebraska, and No. 2 Vanderbilt.

YSU opened the morning with a 97-pin, 981-884 win over Marian, and it followed with its lowest-scoring match of the round in a 1,028-903 loss to the top-ranked Huskers. Youngstown State then topped Quincy 1,029-586 to get back above .500, and the consecutive 1,100 sets ensued.

Youngstown State broke 200 in all five games in its 1,147-1,032 win over No. 25 Valparaiso, and it threw the front seven during a 256 in game three. The Penguins then fired games of 265 and 266 in a 1,117-880 victory over 20th-ranked Tulane to finish the round.

Youngstown State will bowl in five traditional matches on Saturday starting at 10:25 a.m. Eastern. The Penguins' matches are being streamed on the YSUsports YouTube channel.

Friday's Baker Match Results

• Match 1 vs. Marian | W » 981-884
• Match 2 vs. #1 Nebraska | L » 903-1,028
• Match 3 vs. Quincy | W » 1,029-586
• Match 4 vs. #25 Valparaiso | W » 1,147-1,032
• Match 5 vs. #20 Tulane | W » 1,117-880