CLEVELAND, Ohio - Mackenzie Joecken fired a complete game to help Cleveland State earn a 5-4 victory over Canisius on Sunday during the final day of the CSU Dome Tournament. The Vikings dropped their final contest of the event, 9-4, to Niagara.
CSU is now 1-3 this year.
CLEVELAND STATE 5, CANISIUS 4 (8 Innings)
Mackenzie Joecken fired a complete game and Cleveland State scored three times in the eighth inning to earn its first victory of the young season.
The win also avenged CSU's 7-1 setback to Canisius on Saturday in the first day of the tournament.
The Vikings struck first this morning as with two runs in the third inning. After the first two batters recorded outs, Melissa Jacobsen reached on an error and stole second. Riley Ries drew a walk and Mel Woodard followed with a two-run triple down the rightfield line.
Canisius got on the board with a run in the fifth and Lindsey Silfer tied the game at 2-2 with a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the seventh.
The tournament is using international rules, which put Kristin Catalano on second base to start the eighth inning. After the first out was recorded, Bailee Gray sacrificed Catalano to third base and Sofia Johantgen followed with an RBI single. Kait Garing was hit by a pitch and Marissa Marcelli followed with an RBI single to give the Vikings a 4-2 lead.
The Vikings tacked on their fifth run via a Canisius error which scored Gairing.
The Golden Griffins made things interesting in the bottom half of the eighth as Cassie Ho was placed on second base to start the inning.
Denver Keller led off with a single to put runners on the corners and Moriah Harris followed with an RBI fielder's choice. An infield single plated another Canisius run to make it 5-4, but Joecken capped her complete game by getting Destiny Holani on a lineout to Woodard at third base.
Joecken allowed 10 hits over eight innings, giving up four runs (three earned) and striking out three.
Johantgen finished 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Marcelli went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Woodard drove in two runs.
NIAGARA 9, CLEVELAND STATE 4
The Vikings jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning, but a five run fourth inning helped Niagara take control of the game and earn the win.
CSU sent eight batters to the plate in the first inning as the first five batters reached base. Ries drew an RBI bases loaded walk and Joecken followed with a two-run single to give CSU an early 3-0 lead.
It stayed that way until the fifth when the Purple Eagles scored five runs to take the lead. They added another run in the fifth and three more in the sixth to take a 9-3 lead.
Dyonne Vargas had an RBI sacrifice fly in the sixth to cut the lead to 9-4, but the Vikings would get no closer.
Joecken finished 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Marcelli, Woodard and Kristin Catalano all had one hit.
UP NEXT
CSU heads to Greenville, N.C. for four games in the ECU Pirate Classic next weekend. The Vikings will play Bryant and St. Francis (Pa.) on Saturday and St. Francis (Pa.) and host East Carolina on Sunday.
RESULTS FROM DAY 1 OF CSU DOME TOURNAMENT
Bowling Green 7, Cleveland State 1
Canisius 7, Cleveland State 1
Bowling Green 8, Niagara 1
Canisius 5, Robert Morris 2
Niagara 9, Robert Morris 0 (5 innings)
RESULTS FROM DAY 2 OF CSU DOME TOURNAMENT
Cleveland State 5, Canisius 4 (8 innings)
Niagara 9, Cleveland State 4
Bowling Green 8, Canisius 0 (5 innings)
Niagara 7, Robert Morris 5
Bowling Green vs. Robert Morris
