LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Freshman first baseman Davis Crane and junior center fielder Matt Higgins both homered, but the Bellarmine University baseball team fell 11-6 to Youngstown State on Saturday at Knights Field in nonconference action.

Youngstown State (28-21) scored five runs on seven hits in the first inning against Bellarmine (13-33) and never looked back. The Penguins, who clinched the series, had leads of 8-1 and 11-2 while piling up 17 hits.

Crane launched his fifth home run of the season in the sixth, a solo shot that was one of the few highlights against Collin Floyd (8-3), who struck out seven while allowing only three hits in 7.0 innings. Crane added an RBI single in the eighth.

Higgins smacked a three-run homer in the last inning for his ninth round-tripper of the season. Higgins, Crane and junior shortstop Clayton Mehlbauer collected two hits apiece. Mehlbauer had an RBI single in the first inning.

Senior right-hander Blake Wheeler retired the side in order in the ninth and was credited with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Bellarmine and Youngstown State will conclude the series at 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday.

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