Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes. YSU redshirt senior Lane Rhodes (Salem) fires off a pitch during one of his innings of relief on Wednesday at 7 17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood in Niles.

NILES — Wednesday’s game against Toledo couldn’t have started worse for the Youngstown State baseball team.

The Rockets drove in eight runs in the first inning, and it was a sign of things to come for the Penguins, who fell 21-0 at 7 17 Credit Union Field.

“It was poor. Obviously we wanted to have a better showing,” YSU head coach Trevor Charpie said. “We haven’t gotten to play at home at all. Maybe there was a little bit too much excitement. We’ve had really good days of practice, we’ve been playing really good ball recently.

“It didn’t go our way, but it’s just one game. And this doesn’t affect us moving forward in the Horizon League.”

YSU starter Aidan Dorsch struggled with his command early. The first three Rockets (18-23) reached on a hit and two walks, loading the bases with nobody out in the first inning.

The Rockets plated the first run when Cole Cahill was hit by the first pitch of his at-bat. Liam Arsich followed with a ground ball that hit off of second base and into left field, resulting in a two-run double. Alex McCraine drove in a pair with a single to left, then Jackson Hiatt added an RBI single to right-center field and JP Wagner had an RBI single to right.

Dorsch gave up seven runs and didn’t record an out before he was relieved by Lane Rhodes. The Salem product got two pop-ups before Charlie Scholvin drove in a run on a soft grounder for an infield single.

Rhodes limited the damage, but the Rockets were ahead 8-0 through just a half inning.

Rhodes gave up a few runs, but he helped stabilize the Penguins’ (9-31) pitching for a few innings. He allowed three runs on two hits and a pair of walks, striking out two in three innings of relief. Jake Ferretti came on to relieve Rhodes.

“He’s really progressed well, and he’s been able to be a reliable arm for us,” Charpie said of Rhodes. “He wanted to go more and he was trying to get me to (let him) go more, but I was like, ‘Hey, we got a weekend (series).'”

The Rockets added one run each in the fourth and fifth innings, but Hiatt added a two-run home run over the left-center wall jumpstarted an eight-run sixth.

Dorsch (0-2) took the loss after allowing eight runs on five hits and two walks. Misael Uriepero doubled and Garrett Cutting and Teddy Ruffner both singled for YSU’s only hits.

The loss snapped YSU’s four-game win streak. The Penguins will hit the road for a three-game set against UIC, which will begin on Friday at noon.

“We’ll move on to UIC. And really what’s important is NKU,” Charpie said. “Right now we’re tied for third in the Horizon League, and we really want to be in that top three so that we don’t have to play in the play-in game come tournament time.”

GAME ON NEW TURF

Wednesday’s game against the Rockets was the first time the Penguins played at 7 17 Credit Union Field this season. So it was also the first time they got to play on the new turf installed during the offseason.

“I couldn’t tell you how blessed we are to be able to play here and how excited these guys are to be here,” Charpie said. “It’s a real shame, because we come in here today and we don’t perform … but you should have seen us on Monday when we first practiced out here. Everybody’s like little kids, getting to play outside on the turf. It was awesome.”