CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State softball team begins a stretch of five road games this week with a doubleheader at Morehead State on Tuesday (March 31) afternoon. The first game is slated for 2:00 p.m.
The Vikings will also travel to Green Bay for a three-game Horizon League series this weekend, playing a doubleheader on Friday (April 3) at 3:00 p.m. EST and a single game on Saturday (April 4) at 2:00 p.m. EST.
The Vikings enter the week with a 15-10 overall record and are 1-2 in the league. After losing five straight, CSU has rebounded to win three in a row, including a doubleheader sweep of Niagara in the home opener at Viking Field last Wednesday.
The Vikings won the opener, 8-0, and the nightcap, 9-0, with both games being called after five innings.
The pitching duo of Susan Knight and Alex Radjen combined to give up just four hits in the doubleheader, while Knight was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week after firing a complete game, one-hitter.
Knight and Radjen have combined to go 12-7 with 2.43 ERA and 100 strikeouts this season. The Viking pitching staff has posted a league-leading 2.95 ERA this year and also leads the league with 124 strikeouts. Radjen's 58 strikeouts are second most in the Horizon League.
The Viking offense has been equally impressive this season, leading the Horizon League in slugging percentage (.558), runs scored (138), home runs (38), RBI (126) and ranking second with a .315 team batting average.
The trio of Erica McNew, Cynthia Woodard and Nena Doran have done a lot of the damage at the plate as all three are batting better than .400.
McNew is hitting .452 with eight homers and ranks second in the league with 25 RBI. Woodard, who went 6-for-7 in last week's doubleheader sweep of Niagara, is hitting .436 and tops the league in home runs (12) and RBI (26).
Doran has been a three-time Horizon League Player of the Week this year and is hitting .416 with eight homers and 14 RBI. She and McNew are tied for second in the league in home runs.
Doran (26), Woodard (25) and McNews (24) also rank first through third in the league in runs scored.
CSU is slated to return to action next week for a three-game series at Youngstown State. The Vikings will play a single game on Friday (April 10) at 3:00 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday (April 11) at 1:00 p.m.
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE
Tues., March 31 - at Morehead State, 2:00 pm (DH)
Fri., April 3 - at Green Bay, 3:00 pm (DH)
Sat., April 4 - at Green Bay, 2:00 pm