QUICK HITS
- Kelly Hysong hit her team-leading 11th home run of the season in game two
- Sydney Bajusz also homered for Cleveland State in the second game and went 2-for-2 with a run scored and a RBI
- Kelly Hysong went the distance in the circle and picked up the win in game two
- Hallie Ward tripled and scored the Vikings run in game one
- Cleveland State closed out the home portion of its schedule with today's doubleheader
- The Vikings finished the season with a 6-6 home record
GAME RECAP
CLEVELAND -- Kelly Hysong and Sydney Bajusz each homered and Cleveland State won the series against visiting Wright State with a 4-2 victory in the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday at Viking Field.
Cleveland State, which improved to 14-31 overall and 7-14 in the Horizon League, kept its Horizon League Tournament hopes alive with the victory in game two. Oakland, which has completed its Horizon League schedule, currently occupies the sixth, and final, spot for the upcoming league tournament with a 9-14 record. Wright State is currently 8-13 in league play and in seventh spot, while Cleveland State and Green Bay are tied at 7-14 in the Horizon League. The Vikings will need a sweep of Northern Kentucky in their final series and league-leading UIC to win the series against Wright State.
Wright State, which dropped to 21-31 overall and 8-13 in league play, jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning of game two when Lauren Deitrick homered.
The Vikings would answer with the long ball in the bottom of the second inning.
Alyssa Rose began the Vikings second inning with an infield single and advanced to second when Bajusz laid down a sacrifice bunt. Hallie Ward drew a walk and Paige Hartley reached on a fielder's choice and Rose was forced out at third base. Hysong followed with her team-leading 11th home run of the season putting the Vikings in front to stay at 3-1.
Bajusz added to the Cleveland State lead when she hit a one-out homer to right centerfield in the bottom of the fourth inning to increase the lead to 4-1.
Hysong, who threw a combined 293 pitches in the three games, wiggled out of several jams over the remainder of the contest.
In the Wright State fifth inning, the Raiders loaded the bases with two outs but Hysong got Madison Nunez to pop up to end that scoring threat. Wright State again loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth inning, but Hysong got Raidyn Johnson to line out to Hartley in centerfield to end the inning.
Hysong saved her best Houdini performance for the top of the seventh inning. With two outs, the Raiders produced three consecutive singles to score one run and put the go-ahead run on first base, but Hysong induced Rebekah Lenos to fly out to center to end the game.
Hysong improved to 8-11 on the season as she struck out five batters in her 7.0 innings of work.
The Raiders won game one 5-1 behind the pitching of Olivia Otani. She had a perfect game through five innings and ended the game allowing just two hits to Cleveland State.
Hallie Ward tripled and scored the Vikings run on a wild pitch and Hysong picked up Cleveland State's other hit in the opener.
Cleveland State will travel to Bowling Green State for a doubleheader on Tuesday (April 30) before visiting Northern Kentucky for a three-game series beginning on Friday (May 3).