Highland Heights, Ky. -- Northern Kentucky scored the first six runs of the game and went on to defeat the Youngstown State baseball team 12-4 on Friday afternoon at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.
The Norse plated three runs in the second and three more in the third to take a 6-0 lead before the Penguins scored twice in the top of the fourth. NKU went on to score four runs in the fourth to build a 10-2 advantage before YSU hit a pair of solo home runs in the fifth. The Norse added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings on their way to earning the series victory.
Youngstown State drops to 14-39 overall and 11-18 in Horizon League play while Northern Kentucky improves to 29-23 overall and 17-12 in league action.
Tommy Rover went 2-for-5 with a solo home run while Brayden Kuriger doubled, walked and hit a solo blast of his own. Nathan Beckley added a solo home run and Brady Shannon delivered an RBI single for the Penguins, who were outhit by the Norse 13-8.
YSU starter Sloan Ulrich allowed 10 runs, four of which were earned, on nine hits over three innings. JJ Tylicki was responsible for two runs on three hits and five walks with five strikeouts over 3.2 innings while Colin Casteel came on to pitch 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.
The Norse took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom half of the second inning. Josh Williams hit a leadoff single, advanced to third on a single by Jake Paulick and scored on an infield RBI single from Nolan Sparks for the game's first run. Paulick crossed the plate on an RBI groundout from Jake Altman while Sparks stole second and third before scoring on a wild pitch.
Northern Kentucky increased its advantage to 6-0 with three more runs in the home half of the third inning. Gabe Miranda hit a leadoff single and scored on Paulick's RBI single while two runs were able to score on an ensuing outfield error.
The Penguins got on the board in the top of the fourth when Beckley hit a leadoff solo home run. Garrett Cutting reached with a bunt single, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on Shannon's RBI single to cut NKU's lead to 6-2.
The Norse answered with four runs on two hits in the bottom of the fourth to push their lead to 10-2. Brennan Rowe and Tyler Shaneyfelt drew back-to-back walks to begin the frame, and both baserunners scored on Miranda's single through the left side. After Tylicki replaced Ulrich on the mound for the Penguins, Sam Bond drove in a run with an RBI groundout and Miranda scored from third Williams stole second base.
Youngstown State reduced Northern Kentucky's lead to 10-4 in the top of the fifth as Rover and Kuriger hit back-to-back solo home runs.
NKU added a single run in the bottom of the sixth as Williams walked, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a two-out RBI single by Sparks. The Norse posted another single tally in the seventh as Shaneyfelt drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored when Bond reached on an error.
NKU starter Aaron Boster surrendered four runs on six hits with five strikeouts over 4.1 innings on the mound. Shawn Parnell was awarded the victory after tossing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief while Aaron Massie did not allow a hit over the final two frames.
The Penguins and Norse will conclude their three-game Horizon League series on Saturday in the regular season finale for both teams. First pitch at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex is scheduled for 1 p.m.
