Youngstown, Ohio — Detroit Mercy posted five of its 14 singles in a five-run sixth inning, and the Titans rallied to defeat Youngstown State's softball team 9-6 in its home opener on Friday evening.

The Penguins scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, three of which came on a three-run homer by Selah Moyer, and they did not trail until five Titans runners scored in the sixth. YSU is now 11-11 overall after dropping the Horizon League opener for both schools, while Detroit Mercy improved to 7-16.

Youngstown State had more home runs than Detroit Mercy had extra-base hits, but the Penguins were outhit 15-6 in the game. In addition to Moyer's three-run blast in the first, Lydia Wilkerson hit a solo homer at the YSU Softball Complex.

Trinity Fessler and Abby Klaft had three hits apiece in the third and fourth slots in the lineup to lead the Titans.

Detroit Mercy had three singles off of YSU starter Isabella O'Brien in the top of the first, but a double play helped squash the scoring threat. In the bottom half, two walks and a single loaded the bases with one out, and the Penguins got on the board first when Bella Meyer scored on Kennedy Dean's RBI fielder's choice. Moyer then sent a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left center to quickly give the Penguins a 4-0 lead.

The Titans answered immediately in the top of the second with four runs on six singles. Three straight singles loaded the bases with nobody out, and Jada Davis followed a strikeout with an RBI single that removed O'Brien from the game. Detroit Mercy had back-to-back RBI singles off of reliever Kelsey Ogin, and a fielder's choice tied the score at 4-4.

The Penguins reclaimed the lead in the fourth when Bree Kohler walked and scored on Ayla Ray's one-out double, and Wilkerson's leadoff homer in the fifth put YSU ahead 6-4.

Ogin blanked the Titans from the third through fifth innings before Detroit Mercy scored five runs with two outs in the sixth. Two walks and a single loaded the bases, and a wild pitch cut the margin to 6-5. Four straight singles followed as the Titans added four more runs in the inning to go up 9-6.

YSU had two runners on with one out in the sixth but was turned away scoreless, and the leadoff hitter walked but was stranded in the seventh.

O'Brien was charged with four runs in 1.1 innings in a no-decision, and the final five runs went on Ogin's record over 4.1 innings. Paiton Murphy came on with two outs in the sixth and recorded the final four outs in the circle for Youngstown State.

Detroit Mercy starter Erin Flynn was pulled after allowing a hit and two walks in a third of an inning, and Savannah Shultz allowed three runs in 6.2 innings to earn her fifth victory.

The Penguins and Titans will play a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the YSU Softball Complex. The games are scheduled to be broadcast live on ESPN+.