SAN ANTONIO – The Cleveland State softball team got off to one of its best starts in recent memory as the Vikings swept the final day of the UIW Invitational and picked up wins against Prairie View (9-1) and host Incarnate Word (6-5) at the H.E.B. Field on Saturday.
GAME ONE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Cleveland State – 9, Prairie View – 1 (five innings)
LOCATION: H.E.B. Field – San Antonio, Texas
RECORDS: Cleveland State 3-1 (0-0 Horizon), Prairie View 0-2 (0-0 SWAC)
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Melissa Holzopfel starred at the plate and in the circle as she went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish to go with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI. She then added a complete game to the mix, with 12 strikeouts over five innings. The freshmen allowed just two hits and a single run.
- Jenna Deang had a big day with four RBI as she went 2-for-3 – both hitd doubles – along with a run scored.
- Sydney Bajusz (1-for-2, two runs scored) and Katie Holmes (two walks) each chipped in an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- CSU got off to a fast start as it pushed across two runs off of an RBI double by Holzopfel and a passed ball that would bring her around to score in the bottom of the first inning.
- Prairie View halved the Vikings lead to 2-1 in the top of the second, but CSU stormed right back in the bottom half of the inning with four runs of its own to take a 6-1 lead.
- Cleveland State got three more runs in the bottom of the fifth to close out the 9-1 victory.
- It was the second run-rule game that the Vikings posted against Prairie View at the tournament.
GAME TWO BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Cleveland State – 6, Incarnate Word – 5 (seven innings)
LOCATION: H.E.B. Field – San Antonio, Texas
RECORDS: Cleveland State 2-1 (3-1 Horizon), Incarnate Word 1-2 (0-0 Southland)
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Bajusz broke out again in the second game of the day as she went 1-for-3 with three RBI.
- Becky Hurosky came off the bench and provided a big spark with her 1-for-2 day with two RBI.
- Kaelin Ettinger (1-for-4) also chipped in an RBI.
- Holzopfel threw another complete game with 10 strikeouts in the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- CSU got off to yet another hot start as Bajusz doubled to centerfield to plate Holzopfe and Aly Packish as the Vikes took a 2-0 lead in the top of the opening frame.
- Cleveland State would add two more in the third, highlighted by an RBI double by Ettinger, to jump ahead 4-0.
- UIW answered back in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 4-2.
- It was then CSU's turn to answer the call and they did with a two-run single by Hurosky in the top of the fourth to extend the advantage to 6-2.
- Incarnate Word would try to get back into it with one run in the bottom of the sixth and two in the seventh, but the Vikings were able to slam the door for their fourth win on the young year.
NEXT UP
The Vikings return back to Cleveland and get some short rest before heading off to the Panther Invitational
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