Akron, Ohio -- Akron hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Youngstown State baseball team 11-10 in a high-scoring non-league contest on Tuesday afternoon at Skeeles Field.
The Penguins were ahead 2-0 after the first inning and 7-3 after scoring five runs in the top of the third. The Zips answered with a five-run bottom of the third to take an 8-7 lead before YSU countered with two runs in the top of the fourth to regain a 9-8 edge. The score remained the same until Akron pushed across a pair of runs in the seventh move back in front 10-9. The Guins plated a single run in the top of the ninth to even the score before Brennan Morgan's RBI single in the bottom half of the inning lifted the Zips to the walk-off victory.
Nathan Beckley went 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI double, a walk and a run scored while Brayden Kuriger finished 2-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs, a walk, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Alex Jang recorded two hits including a double, two RBIs and a stolen base while Luke Rossi singled, doubled, drove in a run and scored twice. Ryan Schummer added two hits as the Penguins posted new season highs as a team with 10 runs and 14 hits offensively.
YSU starter Aidan Dorsch allowed two runs on two hits in his lone inning on the mound before Aidan English was responsible for one run in one inning as the first six YSU relievers to appear in the contest. Sloan Ulrich surrendered five runs in the third before Kale Wemer and Griffin Almond each came on to toss two scoreless innings of relief. Lane Rhodes permitted two runs in two innings of work while Mikey Rodriques suffered the loss after allowing the winning run in the ninth.
The Penguins grabbed the early lead with two runs on three doubles in the top of the first inning. Jang hit a leadoff double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Misael Uriepero and scored on Rossi's RBI double. Beckley followed with an RBI double of his own to plate Rossi and give YSU a 2-0 advantage.
After the Zips took a 3-2 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second inning, YSU exploded for five runs on five hits in the top of the third to move ahead 7-3. The rally was highlighted by back-to-back run-scoring doubles from Brady Shannon and Kuriger before a two-out, two-run single from Jang.
Akron responded immediately in the bottom of the third by loading the bases with a single and two walks. Atticus Huffstutler followed with a grand slam to right field which knotted the score at 7-7. Tucker Biehl walked and scored on Gabe Mathison's bunt single later in the frame to give the Zips an 8-7 lead.
The lead changed hands again in the top of the fourth as the Penguins scored twice to regain a 9-8 advantage. Kuriger hit a two-out double and scored on Schummer's RBI single while Teddy Ruffner walked and scored when Ryan DiLullo reached on an error.
Akron got back-to-back two-out singles from Brody Chrisman and Blake Bowen in the home half of the seventh inning. Bowen swiped second base to put two runners in scoring positions before Morgan delivered a two-run single up the middle to give the Zips a 10-9 lead.
Uriepero drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a single from Beckley and scored on Shannon's RBI groundout in the top of the ninth to even the score at 10 runs piece heading into the bottom half of the inning.
In the home half of the ninth, Mathison drew a leadoff single, Chrisman followed with a single and Bowen was intentionally walked to load the bases. Morgan proceeded to hit an 0-1 pitch from Rodriques up the middle to send Mathison home for the winning run.
Akron starter Landon Vandegrift allowed seven runs on seven hits over 2.1 innings on the mound. Garrett Groce, Nathan Currah and Floyd McKenna combined to limit YSU to one run on four hits over the final five innings.
Chrisman and Morgan each had four hits to combine for eight of Akron's 17 hits in the game.
The Penguins are scheduled to begin a three-game Horizon League series at Milwaukee on Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. ET.
