Cleveland State Continues Non-Conference Slate in South Carolina

Posted: Feb 19, 2021

SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State Vikings softball team commences a season-long 12-game road trip this weekend down in South Carolina with doubleheaders against Charleston Southern and the College of Charleston. The Vikings battled Bowling Green last week at the Krenzler Bubble to open their season, dropping three of four against the Falcons. Junior Taylor Betz tossed a complete game in Cleveland State's 3-1 win on Friday, limiting Bowling Green to one run on three hits while striking out three.

SCOUTING CHARLESTON SOUTHERN
The Buccaneers will be making their 2021 debut this weekend against the Vikings. Cleveland State and Charleston Southern have split four games throughout the all-time season series dating back to 1998 with the Bucs taking each of the last two matchups in 2019 and 2020. Charleston Southern is coming off a shortened 2020 campaign that saw it post a 10-9 mark.

SCOUTING COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
College of Charleston will open the campaign on Saturday, playing host to Eastern Kentucky before welcoming the Vikings for a two-game set on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars and Vikings have met only twice previously, most recently in 2004. Charleston posted an even 10-10 record last year.

SWEEPING THE #HLSB HARDWARE
The Vikings took home both Nike #HLSB Player of the Week awards with Sydney Bajusz claiming Player of the Week honors and Taylor Betz being tabbed for Pitcher of the Week. Bajusz recorded five hits against Bowling Green, including three doubles, a home run and three RBI. The senior carries a .385 batting average into the upcoming road trip.

Meanwhile, Betz was tasked with a heavy workload and responded admirably, logging a 2.33 ERA across 15 innings while punching out nine. Betz dominated in the nightcap of last Friday's doubleheader before starting game two on Saturday, battling through eight full innings while throwing 138 pitches and holding the Falcons to only four earned runs.

Both Betz and Bajusz received a weekly Horizon League recognition for the first time in their respective careers.

OFF AND RUNNING
Despite a tough weekend for Cleveland State's offense, Bajusz wasn't the only Viking to impress at the plate. Junior Gabby Shackelford capped off a four-run opening frame in Saturday's 8-7 extra-innings loss with a bullet down the left field line for her first career homer.

Becky Hurosky logged three hits, including a double, and scored a run while finishing the series with a .333 on-base percentage and a perfect fielding percentage behind the dish. Freshman Kiera Frascone showcased her speed to kick off her collegiate career, swiping three bases while logging an RBI on three hits.

Frascone recorded one of her hits, an infield single, during a high-pressure situation with two outs and a runner on second base as the Vikings trailed by one run in the ninth inning in game four of the series. Frascone went on to snag her third stolen base, putting a pair of Cleveland State runners in scoring position and giving the Vikings a shot at a late comeback.

ENTERING THE ROTATION
Freshman Jenna Watts figures to play a key role on Cleveland State's pitching staff after a stellar debut. Watts relieved starter Hanna Griffin in the season opener with 2.2 innings of two-hit, shutout ball before making her first start the following day and going the distance with a seven-frame effort in which she allowed six hits and surrendered only a pair of runs. Watts has compiled a miniscule 1.45 ERA and seems primed to be featured on a three-pitcher rotation along with Griffin and Betz.

UP NEXT
Cleveland State battles another Big South opponent on February 26-27 with a four-game series against Presbyterian College in its final warm-up before Horizon League play begins with a pair of road doubleheaders against Purdue Fort Wayne on March 12-13.

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Cleveland State Continues Non-Conference Slate in South Carolina

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