Niles, Ohio -- The Youngstown State baseball team scored a season-high 18 runs on 17 hits on its way to an 18-8 victory over Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League series finale on Sunday afternoon at Eastwood Field.
The Penguins held a 5-1 lead following the first inning before the Norse scored four times in the top of the third to even the contest. YSU proceeded to score the next eight runs in the game to build a 13-5 advantage. NKU pushed across three runs in the top half of the sixth before Youngstown State added two runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and two in the eighth to secure the victory in eight innings.
Youngstown State improves to 8-26 overall and 5-10 in Horizon League play while Northern Kentucky drops to 18-16 overall and 8-7 against league opponents.
Nathan Beckley went 3-for-5 with a career-high six RBIs to become the first Penguin in more than two years to drive in six runs in a game. The Aliso Viejo, Calif., native is the first Penguin to have at least six RBIs since Braeden O'Shaughnessy drove in six runs against Oakland on March 16, 2023.
Tommy Rover also went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored while Caleb Hadley was 2-for-4 with three walks, two RBIs and four runs scored. Kyle Fossum, Brady Shannon and Brayden Kuriger each recorded two hits and drove in a run.
YSU starter Brandon Mikos allowed five runs on five hits with three strikeouts and four walks over five innings to pick up his second win of the season. Phil Brennaman surrendered three runs on three hits in the sixth while Aidan English and Mikey Rodriques each tossed a scoreless inning of relief.
The Norse jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning on a solo home run by Logen Devenport.
The Penguins answered by scoring five times on four hits in the home half of the inning to grab a 5-1 lead. Fossum hit a leadoff double and scored on a sacrifice fly from Beckley to even the score before a two-out RBI single by Garrett Cutting put YSU in front. Cole Smith walked and scored when Jay Wrona reached on a fielder's choice while Cutting was forced home when Hadley drew a bases-loaded walk. Fossum drove in the final run of the rally with a bases-loaded walk of his own.
Northern Kentucky plated four runs in the top of the third to tie the contest at 5-5. Jake Altman drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Devenport's RBI double before Gabe Miranda's three-run home run to right field evened the score.
Youngstown State responded with four runs in the bottom of the third to regain a 9-5 advantage. Hadley and Rover each came through with RBI singles while Kuriger doubled home a run. Kuriger was able to score from third when Smith was caught in a rundown attempting to steal second base.
The Penguins increased their lead to 13-5 with another four-spot in the bottom of the sixth. Beckley plated a pair of runs with a two-run single through the left side while Rover singled and scored on Smith's RBI groundout. Beckley scored on a wild pitch for the final run of the frame.
The Norse shaved YSU's lead to 13-8 with three runs in the top of the sixth. Jake Paulick hit a solo home run to begin the inning while Brennan Rowe walked, advanced to third on a single from Shaneyfelt and stole home. Shaneyfelt was then able to score on a two-out RBI double from Miranda.
YSU countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as Beckley sent a two-run single to left center field with the bases loaded. Shannon notched an RBI single in the seventh, and the Guins scored twice in the eighth to enact the seven-inning run rule. In the eighth, Hadley singled and scored on an RBI groundout from Rover before Beckley's RBI single to right field plated Fossum from second for the winning run.
NKU starter Aaron Boster allowed five runs, two of which were earned, on five hits and four walks over 1.1 innings. Shawn Parnell suffered the loss after permitting three runs on two hits in one inning as one of five relievers to appear for the Norse.
Youngstown State will begin a nine-game road stretch on Tuesday with a non-conference contest at Mercyhurst. First pitch at the Mercyhurst Baseball Field is scheduled for 2 p.m.
