CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State softball team has a busy week on tap with six Horizon League games on the schedule over a four-day span.
CSU's week starts with a three-game series against Youngstown State on Wednesday and Thursday (April 13-14) at Viking Field. The Vikings host the Penguins for a doubleheader on Wednesday with the first game slated for 3:00 pm and conclude the series on Thursday with a single game at 12:30 pm.
The Vikings then travel to Valparaiso for a three-game series this weekend, playing a single game at 4:00 pm ET on Friday (April 15) and a doubleheader on Saturday (April 16) with the first game at 1:00 pm ET.
The Vikings enter the week at 8-23 overall and 1-5 in the Horizon League, while YSU is 18-13 overall and in third place in the League at 5-2, one-half game behind second place UIC (6-2). Valparaiso, which hosts UIC for a three-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, is 8-21 overall and 3-4 in the League.
CSU is coming off three losses at league-leading Wright State over the weekend, falling 13-5 in Friday's opener and dropping a pair of one-run games on Sunday, 7-6 and 5-4.
Senior Erica McNew, a three-time first team All-Horizon League selection, leads the Viking offense this year. She ranks second in the Horizon League in batting average (.464) and home runs (7), third in hits (39) and fourth in on-base percentage (.598) and runs batted in (27). In addition, McNew is tops in the league with 28 walks.
She is the only player in CSU history to hit at least .400 in two seasons and is well on her way to adding a third season with a batting average over .400. In her career, McNew is first in program history with a .398 average (194-487) and third in home runs (43) and RBI (127).
McNew is six hits shy of becoming the fourth player in program history with 200 career hits and needs to homers to move past Cynthia Woodard (44 HRs; 2012-15) and into second place.
Katelind Phillips has also been strong at the plate this year, ranking sixth in the League with a .394 average and adding 20 runs, seven doubles and 11 RBI. She is fifth in CSU history with a .341 batting average.
Riley Ries is having a solid freshman season, hitting .308 with 10 runs, four doubles, two homers - both grand slams - and 15 RBI, while Susan Knight ranks second on the team with 16 runs batted in.
The Vikings return to action next weekend with a three-game series against Horizon League newcomer Northern Kentucky at Viking Field. CSU hosts the Norse for a single game at 4:00 pm on Friday (April 22) and a doubleheader on Saturday (April 23) with the first game at 12:00 pm.
It will be the second to last home series of the year for the Vikings.
