Photo: Rachel Von
FORT WAYNE, Indiana – The Cleveland State softball team split its games on Friday in its first day of a two-day, four-game series against the Mastodons. The Vikings won round one, 4-3, before falling 11-1 in the second game of the doubleheader.
GAME ONE
The Vikings struck first in Friday's first contest. Sydney Bajusz doubled to left field and Aly Packish followed with a walk. Both Bajusz and Packish advanced bases on a wild pitch, before Bajusz scored the first run of the ballgame on an error by Purdue Fort Wayne's shortstop.
Junior infielder Taylor Duncan singled to right field, scoring Packish, and giving the Green and White a 2-0 lead to open the game.
The Mastodons responded by scoring two runs of their own in the bottom of the first inning, off of a two-run homer.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the sixth inning when Alexa Sieger crushed a two-run homerun to right center, scoring Duncan, who led off the inning with a single.
Purdue Fort Wayne tacked on one run in the bottom of the seventh, but it wouldn't be enough as Cleveland State would come away with a 4-3 game one victory.
Hanna Griffin pitched five innings, allowing two runs while striking out three batters. Freshman righty Torrie Jenkins threw two innings, allowing only one run, earning her first save of the 2021 campaign.
GAME TWO
Much like the first game of the day, Cleveland State hopped on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning in game two. Sydney Bajusz reached first base on a walk before advancing to second base on an Aly Packish groundout. Gabby Shackelford then moved Bajusz to third base on a sacrifice bunt. The senior outfielder scored the game's first run on a wild pitch.
The Mastodons registered two runs in the bottom of the first, before exploding for a nine-run fourth inning.
Taylor Betz threw 3.2 innings, striking out three Mastodons.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will square off against Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday for another doubleheader, with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.
