NILES, Ohio ? Host Youngstown State burst out of the gate for four runs in the first and went on to deal the Ohio baseball team its first non-conference loss since March 22, a streak that spanned 10 straight wins, by taking a 6-2 decision Wednesday evening at Eastwood Field.

Youngstown State (24-15) got all it would need from the very beginning as they jumped on Bobcat starter Zeke Isaacs (West Carrollton, Ohio) (1-2) in the first inning, getting four runs on two hits, including a two-run homer by Jim Phillips. Ohio reliever Daniel Weiss (Cincinnati, Ohio) held the Penguins scoreless over the next six innings, but the Bobcats (20-17-1) were never able to muster anything offensively as they were limited to just two runs on seven hits in the game.

With the early run support, Penguin starter Brian Boone (2-0) cruised through each of his five innings of work, allowing just three Ohio batters to reach base over that span.

The Bobcats were finally able to break through in the sixth inning on YSU reliever Josh Wells. Bryan Buck (Hudson, Ohio) led off with a single and Brian Colopy (Columbus, Ohio) walked to put two runners on with no outs. After Anthony Gressick (Lancaster, Ohio) grounded out to move the runners up, a wild pitch allowed Buck to cross home plate to trim the Penguins? lead to 4-1.

The lead was cut in half one inning later as Jason Selhorst (Ottawa, Ohio) singled to left with two outs to get things started. Bryant Witt (Powell, Ohio) then reached on an error and Buck doubled to left center to score Selhorst.

The Penguins tacked on two more insurance runs in the home half of the eighth off of the Ohio relief combination of Weiss, Daniel Utts (Circleville, Ohio), and Cody Neyman (Dravosburg, Pa.) to extend to the final margin of 6-2.

Ohio catcher Ben Crabtree's (Roxbury, Conn.) career-high 18-game hitting streak was also snapped by the Penguins. Playing at first tonight, he flied out in the second and fourth innings and grounded out in the sixth and eighth for an 0-for-4 outing.

Buck has now hit safely four games in a row. He finished as the only Ohio batter to record more than one hit as he went 2-for-5 at the plate with an RBI.

After dropping nine of their first 15 non-conference games this season, the Bobcats reeled off 10 consecutive victories outside Mid-American Conference play including wins at Cincinnati, West Virginia, and on Tuesday against Cleveland State at Jacobs Field.

The Bobcats will rejoin league play this weekend as they welcome Ball State to Bob Wren Stadium. Friday and Saturday evening?s games will start at 7 p.m., while Sunday?s series finale is set to begin at 1 p.m.