Ward, Hysong Power Vikings Past Oakland 6-5

Ward, Hysong Power Vikings Past Oakland 6-5

BOXSCORE (PDF)

QUICK HITS

GAME RECAP

ROCHESTER, Mich. -- Lindsay Ward and Kelly Hysong each homered and had three hits leading Cleveland State to a 6-5 victory over Oakland in a Horizon League game on Tuesday at the Oakland Softball Field.

Ward went 3-for-4 and scored three runs, while Hysong finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the Vikings to the win in the series opener against the Grizzlies.

Cleveland State, which improved to 12-28 overall and 6-11 in the Horizon League, jumped out to an early lead against Oakland then held on for the win.

Hysong got the Vikings off to a quick start as she led off the game with a home run putting Cleveland State ahead 1-0. Lindsay Ward singled up the middle, one batter later, and came in to score when Mackenzie Tucker roped a double to rightfield increasing the Cleveland State lead to 2-0.

Oakland, which dropped to 12-27 overall and 5-13 in league play, answered with a run in the bottom of the first inning  to trim the lead to 2-1.

Cleveland State would increase the lead back to two runs in the top of the second inning. Paige Hartley reached on an infield single and Hysong followed with a double to center that plated Hartley and increased the Viking lead to 3-1.

The Vikings turned to the long ball in the third inning to increase the lead as Lindsay Ward led off the frame with her third homer of the season which upped the lead to 4-1.

Cleveland State pushed the lead to 6-1 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning.

Packish doubled to lead off the inning and advanced to third when Lindsay Ward singled up the middle. Riley Ries made it 5-1 Vikings when she singled to right to score Packish.

Cleveland State increased the lead to 6-1 when Talia Minisall and Lindsay Ward executed a double steal. Minisall, who pinch-ran for Ries, stole second base and Ward stole home for the Vikings final run of the game.

Cleveland State had to hang on for the win as Oakland scored a run in the sixth inning and tacked on three more runs in the seventh inning before Hysong got a pop out to end the game.

Hysong went the distance in the circle for the Vikings as she allowed four earned runs and struck out two batters to improve to 6-11 on the season.

The teams will conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader on Wednesday (April 24) at 1 p.m. at the Oakland Softball Field.