Final Stats

Contact: Jeff Sattora

Cleveland- A late clutch hit by CSU senior Dara Toman picked up one win but fielding errors also doomed Cleveland State (16-20, 7-5 HL), as the Vikings split a doubleheader Sunday with the Loyola Ramblers in Horizon League action. Loyola took game one 3-0, with the Vikings turning around and winning game two 2-1.

Alex Radjen took the mound for Cleveland State in the day's first game and pitched well, giving up no earned runs on five hits in seven innings of work. Even with the solid pitching performance, eight errors by the CSU defense, including four by Radjen herself did the home team in.

The two teams were even through five innings of game one, when a two out rally by the Ramblers gave them the lead for good. Brooke Andresen starting the rally with a single to right field to put one runner on base. Radjen then hurt her own cause on the next play, a sacrifice bunt by Jessica Balzano. The sophomore pitcher picked up both a fielding and throwing error on the play, allowing Balzano to reach base safely and Andresen to advance to third with two outs. An RBI single by Lauren Moore to short followed, giving Loyola the lead.

The game stayed within one run until the seventh inning, when three consecutive errors by CSU third baseman Nena Doranhelped load the bases for Loyola with just one out. A pop-up by Annie Korth followed, but the Ramblers would not waste their chance to widen the lead, as Tarran Shaffer hit a single to bring two runners around and give Loyola the 3-0 lead and win.

Game two continued the pitcher's dual theme, with the Vikings coming out on top 2-1 on the sixth inning heroics of Dara Toman.

Loyola once again scored first in the late game, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Andresen led things off for the Ramblers with a single to right field. Balzano then followed, reaching on a fielder's choice that saw the Vikings nab the lead runner in Andresen. The next at bat saw defensive blunders continue to hurt CSU, as a throwing error by shortstop Janessa Rivera-Keahi (looking to get the runner at second) allowed Balzano to not only reach second base safely, but also advance to third on the wild throw, with the batter Lauren Moore also reaching first on the fielder's choice. With one out Lauren Zaworski also hit into a fielder's choice, with the Vikings taking out Moore at second but allowing Balzano to score to give the Ramblers the early lead.

The game stayed 1-0 until the third inning, when a Loyola error helped CSU tie the game at one all. Toman led the inning off reaching base after being hit by a pitch, she was then followed by Erica McNew who singled to left field to put runners on first and second with no outs. An error by the third baseman saw Cynthia Woodard reach base safely next with McNew advancing to second, unfortunately for the Vikings Toman was caught between bags and out on the play at third for the inning's first out. Sara Shields came to the batter's box next, bringing home McNew on a ball that slid under the first baseman's glove to tie the game at 1-1.'

With a tie game in the bottom of the sixth inning back-to-back doubles by the Vikings helped to bring home the win. Darien Ward started the action with a one out double down the left field line. Toman then followed with a double to left field to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead and eventual win.

CSU will be back in action tomorrow with two games as they take on Green Bay in Horizon League action. The two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m. at Viking field.