CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State Vikings softball team split a doubleheader against IUPUI to close a four-game weekend series, winning 10-2 in the opening contest before falling 8-1 in game two of the twin bill.
Game One Recap - Vikings 10, Jaguars 2 (five innings)
Freshman Torrie Jenkins shined in Cleveland State's five-inning victory to begin the day, tossing a complete game while surrendering only one earned run on six hits and launching a go-ahead three-run blast in the fourth inning.
The Vikings won via the run rule for the first time this season thanks to a nine-run outburst over the fourth and fifth innings powered by Jenkins' home run as well as RBI hits from Taylor Duncan, Alexa Sieger and Kiera Frascone.
Cleveland State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the opening frame when Aly Packish deposited a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence, marking her second homer in as many days.
IUPUI evened it at 1-1 with an unearned run in the third before Jenkins' homer. Duncan was hit by a pitch before moving to second on Sieger's single to left center. After Courtney Fernette reached on a fielder's choice and Duncan was ruled out on interference, Jenkins fouled off a pair of offerings before cranking her team-high tying third long bomb of the season to dead center field.
The Jaguars notched a pair of base hits to crawl back within 4-2 in the top of the fifth, but the Vikings' plated six runs in the bottom of the frame to give the game an early ending.
Kiera Frascone drew a leadoff walk on four pitches before advancing on to second on Sydney Bajusz's single to right field. After both players pulled off a double steal of second and third, Cleveland State scored when Packish reached on an error by the Jaguars' shortstop.
After Gabby Shackelford walked to load the bases, Duncan snuck a single through the left side of the infield to bring home Bajusz. Sieger followed it up with a bloop single down the right field line which scored all three baserunners for a commanding 9-2 lead.
With runners at the corners after Jenna Deang drew Cleveland State's third walk of the inning, Frascone gave the Vikings a 10-2 win with an infield RBI single.
Jenkins picked up the win to move to 2-2 after going the distance for the first time in her career. At the plate, Duncan finished a perfect 2-2 with an RBI and a run scored while Sieger went 2-3 with a pair of runs driven in. Frascone went 1-2 with an RBI and a walk out of the nine-hole.
Game Two Recap - Jaguars 8, Vikings 1
IUPUI flipped the script in the series finale, holding Cleveland State to only one run on a pair of hits.
Vikes starter Jenna Watts held the Jaguars to only two hits over three scoreless frames to open the game but gave up a leadoff homer in the fourth before allowing three consecutive hitters to reach base, prompting a Vikings pitching change.
Taylor Betz limited the damage to only one run after forcing a pair of groundouts to keep Cleveland State within striking distance at 1-0.
The Vikings found their first hit of the game when Duncan smacked a single to right center before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch.
IUPUI exploded for eight runs over the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to pull ahead 8-0 entering the bottom of the sixth. The Vikings stayed alive on Shackelford's RBI sac-fly to deep center, but IUPUI hung on for an 8-1 final.
Watts was tagged with three runs on five hits across 3.1 innings while Betz tossed the final 3.2 frames, allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits while striking out three.
Catcher Courtney Fernette caught a runner stealing in both games of the doubleheader. The senior backstop has now caught three runners this season.
UP NEXT
The Vikings travel to Robert Morris for a rare midweek doubleheader this Tuesday, March 23. First pitch is set for
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