Niles, Ohio – Brady Shannon's two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Youngstown State baseball team to a 13-12 series-evening victory over Oakland on Saturday afternoon at Eastwood Field.
The Penguins used a four-run first inning to move in front before scoring single runs in the second and fourth innings to take a 6-0 advantage. YSU built a 9-2 edge before Oakland plated four runs in the seventh to pull within 9-6. The Guins added two runs in the seventh before the Golden Grizzlies erupted for six runs in the top of the ninth to take their first lead of the contest.
Nathan Beckley gave YSU life with a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth, and Shannon followed by hitting a line-drive home run over the right field wall to even up the three-game Horizon League series at a game apiece.
Shannon finished the game 2-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored while Garrett Cutting went 2-for-5 with a two-run triple. Nic Goodwin went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles while Tommy Rover, Cole Smith and Beckley added two hits apiece. All nine starters in YSU's lineup recorded a hit as the Penguins bested the Golden Grizzlies in the hit column, 15-9.
YSU starter Sloan Ulrich allowed two runs on four hits with three strikeouts over 4.2 innings in his second start of the season. JJ Tylicki was responsible for four runs on three hits with four strikeouts and five walks over 2.1 innings of relief while Colin Casteel permitted three runs in one inning of work. Mikey Rodriques picked up the win after allowing three runs on two hits in his lone inning out of the bullpen.
The Penguins went ahead with four runs in the home half of the first inning. Kyle Fossum reached on an error and scored on Smith's RBI double before Cutting delivered a two-run triple. Beckley brought home Cutting from third with a sacrifice fly to give YSU a 4-0 lead.
YSU increased its lead to 5-0 with a single run in the bottom of the second. Fossum drew a one-out walk and scored Brayden Kuriger's RBI double. The Guins posted another single tally in the bottom of the fourth as Eli Brown singled and scored on Kuriger's RBI groundout.
Oakland plated a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to cut YSU's lead to 6-2. A single and two walks loaded the bases before Ulrich gave way to Tylicki out of the bullpen. Tylicki issued back-to-back bases-loaded walks to force in two runs for the Golden Grizzlies.
Youngstown State pushed its lead back to six runs by scoring twice in bottom half of the fifth inning. Beckley singled and scored on an RBI infield single by Goodwin while Shannon walked and scored on a sacrifice fly from Brown. The Penguins added a single run in the sixth inning to build a 9-2 advantage. Rover walked and scored on Smith's RBI single through the right side.
Oakland pushed across four runs on three hits in the top of the seventh to reduce YSU's lead to 9-6. Matthew McGann hit a leadoff single and scored on Carter Hain's RBI single while Brandon Nigh walked and scored on an RBI single by Ben Clark. Rice was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded while Clark raced home on a wild pitch.
The Guins got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the seventh to lead 11-6. Beckley was hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI single from Goodwin while Shannon walked and scored from third when Brown grounded into a double play.
The Golden Grizzlies exploded for six runs in the top of the ninth to take a 12-11 lead. Casteel walked three straight batters to load the bases before being relieved by Rodriques. Rice greeted Rodriques with an RBI single up the middle, Boston Halloran scored on a wild pitch and Sam Griffth crossed the plate when McGann reached on a fielder's choice. John Lauinger hit a two-run single and Nigh was able to score when Hain reached on an error.
Oakland starter Grant Garman surrendered eight runs, six of them earned, on 11 hits over 4.2 innings in a no-decision. Ryan Donley, who was one of five relievers to appear for the Golden Grizzlies, suffered the loss after giving up Shannon's game-winning home run in the ninth.
The Penguins and Golden Grizzlies will conclude their three-game Horizon League series on Sunday. First pitch at Eastwood Field is slated for 1 p.m. It will be Senior Day for the program as YSU's senior class will be honored during a special ceremony prior to first pitch.
