Brayden Kuriger and Garrett Cutting each hit home runs as the Youngstown State baseball team fell 14-4 to Kent State in midweek non-conference action on Wednesday evening at Olga Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium in Kent, Ohio.

The Penguins scored first on a solo home run from Kuriger in the top of the second inning before the Golden Flashes plated the next 12 runs of the contest. Cutting hit a three-run blast in the top of the seventh for YSU before Kent State struck for a pair of runs in the home half of the inning to secure the seven-inning victory.

Cutting went 2-for-3 with his fourth homer of 2025 while Kuriger belted his fifth home run of the season.

YSU starter Tyler Heflin was the losing pitcher after allowing eight runs on eight hits over three innings while Gavin Wilms was responsible for two runs in one inning out of the bullpen.

Kent State pushed across three runs on three hits in the bottom of the second inning to take a 3-1 lead. Sawyer Solitaria hit a leadoff single, advanced to second on a single from Brody Williams and scored when Hunter Klotz reached on a fielding error. Williams came around to score on an RBI groundout by Micah Kiracofe, and Klotz raced home on Alejandro Covas' two-out RBI single.

The Golden Flashes pushed their advantage to 10-1 with seven runs on six hits in the home half of the fourth inning. Willims led off the frame with a solo home run while Landon Tiesing, Luke Matthews and Solitaria added run-scoring hits during Kent State's rally. The Golden Flashes went on to add two runs in the bottom of the sixth to build a 12-1 edge.

Cole Smith walked and Jay Wrona was hit by a pitch in the top of the seventh to set up Cutting's three-run blast to left field.

The Golden Flashes answered by scoring twice in the bottom half of the seventh to enact the seven-inning run rule. Matthews was hit by a pitch and scored on Jake Casey's RBI double while Kolton Schaller drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the winning run.

Kent State starter Brody Krzysiak allowed one run on one hit over three innings on the mound while Eric Chalus was awarded the win after tossing two innings of scoreless relief.

The Penguins will begin a three-game Horizon League series at Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday at 3 p.m.