GAME # 5
Cleveland State (3-1) vs. Robert Morris (5-4)
February 22, 2014
10:00 a.m.
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
GAME # 6
Cleveland State (3-1) vs. St. Bonaventure (0-4)
February 22, 2014
4:00 p.m.
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
GAME # 7
Cleveland State (3-1) vs. St. Bonaventure (0-4)
February 23, 2014
12:00 p.m.
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Game # 8
Cleveland State (3-1) at Charlotte (1-1)
February 23, 2014
4:00 p.m.
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
SETTING THE SCENE: The Vikings (3-1) will travel to Charlotte, N.C. over the weekend competing in the First Pitch Classic. On Saturday, CSU will face Robert Morris (10:00 a.m.) and St. Bonaventure (4:00 p.m.) in a twin bill. On Sunday, CSU will face St. Bonaventure at 12:00 p.m. and then Charlotte at 4:00 p.m.
RECAPPING A 3-1 START: The Vikings began the 2014 season last Saturday and Sunday in the second annual CSU Dome Tournament. The Vikings went 3-1 through the two days of play, defeating Bucknell 1-0 in a pitchers dual, and also topping Bowling Green, 5-3, on Saturday in an excellent offensive hitting performance by Cleveland State. In Sunday's contests, coach Norris' bunch shutout Canisius, 9-0, in five innings. The Vikings had 10 hits in the game and senior Sara Shields limited Canisius to just three hits. Shields struck out three earning her first win of the season. The Vikings faced Robert Morris in the final game of the tourney, falling short 1-0.
DOMINATE PERFORMANCE AGAINST THE GRIFFINS: The Vikings offense erupted in the third game of the campaign against Canisius, with CSU recording 10 hits in the contest. The Vikings were led by Nena Doran, Susan Knight, Katelind Phillips, and Darien Ward. Doran went 2-for-3 in the game with two runs and had a pair of RBI. She led the game off by smashing the first pitch of the game over the left field fence to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead. Knight added a two-run homer to give CSU a commanding 5-0 lead in the game, and finished 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Phillips and Ward both went 2-for-2 with two runs batted in. Phillips laced a triple in the game and had a single.
KNIGHT EARNS HL PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Sophomore Susan Knight earned HL Pitcher of the Week on Monday afternoon after leading CSU to a 3-1 record over the first weekend of the 2014 season. Knight pitched two complete games striking out eight batters in the two games.
SEASON PREVIEW BY POSITION:
PITCHERS- The Vikings have three pitchers that they will use in their rotation, as three returning pitchers will toe the rubber. Senior Sara Shields, junior Alex Radjen, and sophomore Susan Knight will pitch in 2014. As a rotation in 2013, CSU had an excellent 2.92 earned run average.
Knight had a great season last year posting a 16-11 record, with a 2.67 ERA. She appeared in 36 games and started 23. Knight also threw 16 complete games for the Vikings and pitched 194 innings. Her strikeout to walk ratio was an impressive 131/55. Radjen also had a very nice season. She had a 2.27 earned run average and started in 19 games in 26 appearances. She struck out 68 batters on the year. Opponents batted .251 against the four starters.
CATCHERS- Sophomore Erica McNew and freshmen Olivia Wulfhoop and Allie Scali will handle the catching for the Vikings. McNew put up fantastic numbers a year ago, hitting a team leading .413. She played in all 49 games for the Vikings and had 143 at bats. She led the team with 18 homeruns and 44 RBI. McNew had 59 hits and led the team in on-base percentage (.503). Her slugging percentage was second best on the team (.811). Defensively, she had 256 put-outs and assisted on 35 outs. Her fielding percentage averaged out to .960.
Wulfhoop and Scali will look to contribute at catcher as well for coach Norris.
INFIELD- The Vikings have a young infield heading into this season, but CSU will look to provide great defense. The Vikings have three veterans returning in senior Hannah Yoe, junior Nena Doran, and sophomore Katelind Phillips. This group will be joined by freshmen Mel Woodard, Taylor Wawrowski, and Katelynn Thomas who will look to provide a role at their infield positions.
OUTFIELD- Anchoring the outfield will be senior Janessa Rivera-Keahi, sophomore Alisha Silva, and sophomore Alyson Broschk. Freshman Sidney Morgan will also look to play a role on the team.
Rivera-Keahi started all 49 games and had 21 hits on the year. She also laced four doubles and drove in 12 runs. Broschk hit 20 RBI, eight doubles, two homeruns, and had 34 hits last season.
NEXT UP: The Vikings will be back on the diamond on Friday (Feb. 28) as CSU will travel to Rock Hill, S.C. to play five games against Furman (3:00 p.m.) and Wagner (5:00 p.m.) on Friday. The team will then play on Saturday (Mar. 1) against Gardner-Webb (11:00 a.m.) and Winthrop (3:00 p.m.). Cleveland State will finish out on Sunday (Mar. 2) against Robert Morris. First pitch will be at 12:00 p.m.
