CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland State combined to hit five home runs over two games as the Vikings swept a doubleheader from Niagara on Friday afternoon at the Krenzler Dome. The Vikings won the opener, 10-9, and the finale, 5-4.
CSU improved to 7-16 this year, while the Purple Eagles dropped to 2-14.
Erica McNew hit a home run in each game, including a grand slam in the opener, while Katelind Phillips and Sidney Morgan homered in the opener and Susan Knight added a home run in game two.
CSU jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead after three innings in the opener. Phillips led off the bottom of the first with a solo homer, while Mel Woodard added a two-run single in the first. McNew delivered the big hit with a grand slam in the second to help CSU extend the lead to 7-0 and Morgan's solo homer in the third made it 8-0.
Mackenzie Joecken was strong in the circle, retiring 11 Niagara batters before Bridget Hogan and Sarah March delivered back-to-back homers in the fourth to slice the deficit to 8-2.
Niagara added five runs in the sixth to pull within one run (8-7), but CSU answered with two runs in the bottom half of the sixth as McNew and Woodard both drove in runs on fielder's choices to extend the lead to 10-7.
The Purple Eagles added two more runs in the seventh to make it 10-9 and put runners on first and second with two outs, but Kristin Catalano got Chanelle Ward to line out to rightfield and end the game.
Phillips had two of CSU's six hits as the Vikings took advantage of eight walks in the opener. Joecken worked six innings to earn the win (3-4), while Catalano got the final three outs to earn the save.
Knight broke open a scoreless game two with a home run to lead off the fourth inning and after a Riley Ries single, McNew drilled a two-run homer to make it 3-0. CSU added an unearned run to grab a 4-0 lead.
Jessica Chandler put Niagara on the board with a solo home run in the fifth, but Woodard delivered an RBI double in the bottom half of the inning, scoring pinch runner Bailee Gray as the Vikings answered the run and took a 5-1 lead.
Jennifer Timm hit a three-run homer in the sixth to cut the CSU lead to 5-4, but that would be as close as the Purple Eagles would get as Macy Kaisk retired the next two batters and worked around a two out walk in the seventh to finish a complete game victory.
Kaisk improved to 3-4 this year.
Woodard finished game two 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while McNew went 2-for-3 and drove in two.
The Vikings return to action on Wednesday (March 30) when CSU hosts Akron for a doubleheader starting at 3:00 pm at Viking Field.
