Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

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CHICAGO, Ill. - The Vikings used a pair of come from behind victories to sweep Saturday's (April 14) doubleheader in Chicago, knocking off Loyola 4-3 in game one and taking game two by a 5-3 count.

The Vikings improve to 13-29 overall and 5-6 in the Horizon League. Loyola slipped to 15-19 and 8-6 in the league.

Cleveland State has won five of its last six games, including four straight Horizon League contests.

In both games, the Vikings fell behind but struck late with a three-run homer to aid the comeback. In game one, freshman shortstopNena Doran hit a homer to left that gave the Vikings a 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth.

Megan Bashak delivered the big blow in the fifth inning of game two, hitting a three-run homer to center that put her team ahead 5-3.

In game one, Loyola took a 1-0 lead when Annie Korth homered off CSU starter Sara Shields. The Ramblers threatened in the fourth with three straight one-out singles, but Shields induced a fielder's choice and an infield groundout to end the threat.

She kept her team in the game long enough that one big inning made the difference. 

Andrea Nagy started the Viking sixth by reaching on an error by the Loyola left fielder, and then Shields walked. After Caila Ferromoved both runners up a base on a sacrifice bunt, Doran's shot - her third of the year - put CSU on the board.

Loyola got a run back in the bottom of the sixth by manufacturing a run. Two straight singles, a bunt and a sacrifice fly made it a 3-2 game before the Vikings tacked on the ever-important insurance run in the top of the seventh.

Toman was walked with one out and came around to score from first base on a double down the left field line by Bashak to widen the gap to two runs.

Loyola had two hits in the seventh and brought in a run on a Tarran Shaffer sacrifice fly, but Shields struck out Lauren Zaworski with the tying run aboard to end the game and even her record at 10-10.

Shields allowed 12 hits in her seven innings of work and all three runs were earned. She didn't walk a batter while striking out three. Loyola's Brittany Gardner allowed just three hits and had 11 strikeouts but made the big mistake to Doran. With the loss, Gardner is now 10-7 on the year.

Bashak did it in the circle and at the plate in game two. She pitched a complete game to pick up the win and improve to 3-12 in 2012. The Ramblers earned 11 hits off Bashak but she didn't issue a single walk while striking out seven.

Loyola struck for three runs in the first inning on a three-run homer by junior center fielder Brooke Andersen.

Cleveland State didn't get on the board until the fourth inning when Toman started the frame with a solo homer to center field - her 18th shot of the season, tying her with Tess Sito (2010) for the most by a Viking in a single season. The other run in the inning came after Bashak walked, moved up on a groundout, advanced to third on a Ferro single and then stole home to make it a 3-2 game.

Salena Kauffman started the top of the fifth with a double to left field and then Jordan Goad came in to run for her. After a strikeout, Toman was walked to put runners on first and second and setup the Bashak blast.

The three-run shot was Bashak's third of the season and gave her some breathing room in the circle.

Loyola had two hits in the fifth, one in the sixth and two more in the seventh but couldn't push another run across. Korth and Anderson both had one-out singles in the seventh to bring the winning run to the plate, but Bashak overcame a throwing error and got Lauren Arceneaux to strikeout for the 21st out.

Loyola starter Amanda Ciran took the loss to fall to 2-12 after surrendering all five runs in her 4 1/3 innings of work. Keali Engelkens allowed just one hit over the last 2 2/3 innings but Bashak contained the Ramblers offense.

Bashak, Doran, Ferro and Toman all finished with two hits on Saturday. Bashak drove in four runs while Doran drove in three and Toman brought herself in on the homer. Toman led the squad with three runs scored while Bashak scored a pair of runs.

Cleveland State will go for the sweep in the series finale tomorrow (April 15) with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. EST. The Loyola Sports Information Department offers free live stats, available here.