The Youngstown State baseball team pounded out 13 hits while limiting Toledo to just four in a 13-3 seven-inning non-conference victory on Tuesday at Eastwood Field.
The Rockets struck first with a single tally in the top of the first before the Penguins scored the next seven runs of the game. YSU added six runs in the bottom of the fifth on its way to securing the seven-inning victory.
Tommy Rover, Brady Shannon, Garrett Cutting, Jay Wrona and Caleb Hadley had two hits apiece while Kyle Fossum hit his league-leading 11th home run of the season. Fossum and Wrona each drove in three runs while Cutting and Hadley each recorded two RBIs.
YSU starter Brandon Mikos allowed one run on two hits in his lone inning of work. Harun Pelja was awarded the victory after allowing one run and striking out three batters over 3.1 innings of relief. Lane Rhodes tossed two thirds of inning while Brandin Anderson pitched a scoreless sixth. One unearned run went on Thomas Fowler's record while Olindo Pezzone recorded the final two outs in his first-career appearance.
The Rockets took an early lead with a single run in the top of the first inning. Caden Konczak hit a leadoff single, stole second and scored on a two-out RBI single from Tre Mariano.
The Penguins answered with three runs in the bottom of the second to move ahead 3-1. Nathan Beckley and Cutting hit back-to-back one-out singles to set up a bases-clearing two-run triple to right center from Wrona. Hadley brought home Wrona with a sacrifice fly to give YSU a two-run edge.
Youngstown State increased its advantage to 7-1 with four runs on four hits in the home half of the third inning. Cutting delivered a two-run single, Wrona singled home a run and Hadley added an RBI double.
Toledo posted another single run in the top of the fifth to trail 7-2. Luke Walton drew a leadoff walk and scored from third base when Josh Cote was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Penguins responded by scoring six runs on three hits in bottom of the fifth to build a 13-2 lead. The rally was highlighted by a three-run home run to left field by Fossum.
Toledo starter Brennan McCune suffered the loss after surrendering seven runs, three of which were earned, on seven hits over 2.2 innings.
The Penguins will step back into Horizon League play on Friday at 3 p.m. to begin a three-game series at Oakland. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
