Youngstown, Ohio – Junior quarterback Beau Brungard rushed and passed for more than 100 yards, and the defense caused four turnovers to lead the Youngstown State football team to a 24-15 victory over Mercyhurst on Thursday night at Stambaugh Stadium.
Senior Dathan Hickey led the Penguins (1-0) with 13 tackles with an interception, forced fumble and fumble recovery while Carston Marshall and Dayne Hodge each tallied 10 total stops.
Brungard, who posted 100 yards rushing and passing for the fourth time in his career, ran for 145 yards with a pair of touchdowns and threw for 114 yards on 14-of-21 passing.
Jaden Gilbert ran for 34 yards with a touchdown and caught five passes for 34 yards. Max Tomczak led the Penguins with 43 yards receiving.
The Penguins took the opening possession 69 yards in 12 plays capped by a one-yard plunge by Jaden Gilbert to take a 7-0 lead at the 9:24 mark of the first quarter.
Brungard was 2-for-2 for 16 yards through the air and rushed seven times for 44 yards, including a 31-yard run on a 2nd-and-6 to set the Penguins up at Laker 22-yard line.
Brungard converted a 3rd-and-2 with a nine-yard gain to the Mercyhurst five, and Gilbert scored on 4th-and-1 from the one.
Mercyhurst answered and tied the game at 7-7 with 1:08 left in the opening stanza. The Lakers marched 81 yards in 14 plays. Evan Van Dyke barreled in from a yard out to knot the game.
A 48-yard kickoff return by Ky "Flash" Wilson set the Penguins up at the Lakers 47-yard line. After connecting with Mike Solomon to convert a 4th-and 4 from the Mercyhurst nine, Brungard soared over the goal line to regain the lead, 14-7, with 11:17 to go before halftime.
After the defense forced a punt, Brungard hit Max Tomczak on a 46-yard pass to the Lakers' four. Brungard's four-yard scoring dash pushed the YSU lead to 21-7 with 8:54 left before halftime.
Justin Wimpye picked off Mercyhurst quarterback Adam Urena on the second play of the second half to give the Penguins great field position at the Lakers' 32. But the Penguins had to settle for a 37-yard field goal by Andrew Lastovka to extend the lead to 24-7 with 11:10 in the third quarter.
Late in the third quarter, the Penguins forced the Lakers' third turnover of the game on Ebony Curry Jr.'s strip sack and Michael Wells' recovery at the YSU 40. The Lakers, however, turned the Penguins over on downs.
The Lakers cut the Penguins lead to nine, 24-15, with 6:59 left in the game after a 15-play, 84-yard drive capped by a Urena-to-Dylan Evans eight-yard touchdown pass and two-point conversion.
Hickey's interception at the YSU 20-yard line thwarted another Lakers' scoring threat 2:02 left in the game and the Penguins were able to run out the clock.
Youngstown State hosts Robert Morris, Saturday, Sept. 6. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
