CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State Vikings softball team was swept in a doubleheader against visiting Youngstown State at Viking Field on Tuesday, falling 8-1 in the opening contest before a 9-1 setback in the nightcap.
Game One - Penguins 8, Vikings 1
Youngstown State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and never looked back, capitalizing on five Cleveland State errors in an 8-1 victory.
Torrie Jenkins recorded the Vikings' first hit of the day with a single to right center in the third inning.
The following inning, Sydney Bajusz smacked a leadoff triple to the right field corner, marking Cleveland State's first triple of the campaign. Taylor Duncan walked to put runners at the corners, but Youngstown State starter Elle Buffenberger struck out the side to keep the Vikings scoreless.
In the top of the fourth, Youngstown State put runners on first and second thanks to back-to-back errors before second baseman Jenna Deang turned her first career #HLSB double play on a hard-hit ball up the middle, getting the out at second before throwing to Becky Hurosky at first in time for the out.
Trailing 6-0 in the fifth inning, the Vikings loaded the bases when Hurosky drew a leadoff walk before Kaelin Ettinger was hit by a pitch and Alexa Sieger reached on a fielding error by the third baseman.
Cleveland State broke the shutout when Aly Packish was struck by a pitch was the bases loaded to make it 6-1, but an inning-ending groundout prevented any further damange.
Courtney Fernette notched a one-out single down the right field line in the sixth frame, marking the Vikings' third hit of the ballgame.
Torrie Jenkins took over for starter Hanna Griffin in the circle with one out in the third frame and pitched well, holding the Penguins' dangerous lineup to a pair of earned runs on four hits while recording a strikeout across 4.2 innings of work.
Game Two - Penguins 9, Vikings 1 (6 innings)
A six-run third inning powered the visitors to a 9-1 victory and a two-game sweep in a six-inning affair in the second contest of the day.
In the bottom of the third, Kiera Frascone drew a one-out walk before swiping her team-leading 11th stolen base of the season and advancing to third a Bajusz single to right field.
With Packish at the plate, Bajusz successfully stole second as the attempted throw from the catcher sailed into the outfield, allowing Frascone to score from third.
Bajusz moved to third on a passed ball before Alexa Sieger walked to put runners at the corners with two down, but Penguins hurler Maddi Lusk halted the threat with a strikeout.
Griffin made her second appearance of the day midway through the third inning and tossed 2.2 scoreless frames in relief, retiring all eight batters she faced while punching out a pair.
UP NEXT
The Vikings begin an eight-game road trip this Friday, opening a four-game series at Oakland at 2:00 p.m.
#GoVikes
