Box Score
Contact: Tim Ertle
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SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Cleveland State made one error but it was a costly one as four unearned runs were too much to overcome in a 6-5 loss to Notre Dame on Thursday (April 19).
The Vikings slip to 13-31 overall while Notre Dame is now 23-13.
Notre Dame scored a run off CSU starting pitcher Megan Bashak in the bottom of the first inning, using a leadoff single, a sacrifice bunt and a double to left field to plate the first run of the game.
Three hits in the CSU third helped the Vikings take a 2-1 lead. Alicia Nichols started the frame with a one-out walk and a Dara Toman single pushed Nichols to third. While Notre Dame tried to get Nichols at third, Toman moved into scoring position on the throw.
That set the table for Bashak to help her own cause - and she did, ripping a double to left center field to bring in Nichols and Toman.
Notre Dame took the lead back for good in the home half of the third inning, scoring four runs on three hits. A ball was misplayed in the infield with two outs and four runs came after that to stake the Fighting Irish to a 5-2 lead.
The home team tacked on an important insurance run in the fourth to widen the gap to 6-2 thanks to a pair of singles to start the inning which were followed by a sac bunt and sacrifice fly.
After a Notre Dame pitching change brought in ace Laura Winter for starter Brittany O'Donnell to start the fifth inning, the Vikings tacked on three runs to cut the deficit to one at 6-5.
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Nichols started the inning with a single and stole second, later scoring on a two-out single to left field by Andrea Nagy. Nagy was on base when Sara Shields belted a home run - her fifth of the season - to left center to bring CSU within one.
The Vikings couldn't complete the comeback as Winter struck out the side in the sixth and retired the final three batters in order in the seventh.
Despite allowing just two earned runs, Bashak took the loss to fall to 3-13. She allowed seven hits in six innings while walking one and recording a strikeout. O'Donnell left with the lead and earned the win to improve to 8-5. She allowed two earned runs in her four innings of work and had a strikeout. Winter allowed three runs on three hits but did have five strikeouts.
Toman and Shields each had two hits, while Bashak, Nagy and Nichols all had one.
The Vikings re-enter Horizon League play with a three-game series in Green Bay that begins with a doubleheader on Saturday (April 21). After that, Cleveland State ends the regular season with nine home games against Horizon League foes.