DETROIT – The Cleveland State softball program ended its regular season campaign with a 2-1 victory against Detroit Mercy at Buysse Ballpark on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Vikings improved to 22-22 on the year and 18-8 in Horizon League play. The 22 wins are the most recorded since the 2015 season while the 18 conference victories are the most since 2010.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Cleveland State – 2, Detroit Mercy – 1 (seven innings)
LOCATION: Buysse Ballpark – Detroit, Michigan
RECORDS: Cleveland State 22-22 (18-8 Horizon), Detroit 6-36 (6-21 Horizon)
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Melissa Holzopfel notched her 15th win of the season with another complete-game performance. The freshman standout went all seven innings and allowed just seven hits and a single run to go with five strikeouts. She improved to 15-13 on the year.
- Courtney Fernette continued her red-hot weekend with a 1-for-3 showing that included CSU's two RBI to go with a run scored. She hit the game-winning homer in the top of the seventh, her third of the weekend. She now ranks in a tie for ninth in the Horizon with six home runs on the year.
- Kiera Frascone scored the other run for CSU.
- Holzopfel (1-for-3 at the plate) and Sophie Spellman (1-for-2) also recorded hits for the Vikings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Detroit Mercy broke the deadlock in the bottom of the third inning with a run to jump ahead 1-0.
- Cleveland State was only able to manage a single hit through the first six innings, but the Vikes made their at-bats count in the top of the seventh.
- Holzopfel led off the inning with a single through the right side. Fernette followed her up two batters later with her third home run of the weekend, a two-run shot to deep right-center field to put the Vikings up 2-1.
- Holzopfel and the Vikes stranded the game-tying run at third and the go-ahead runner at first as Cleveland State escaped with the 2-1 win.
NEXT UP
That concludes the regular season for the CSU softball program. For the first time since 2016, the Vikings already clinched their spot for the 2022 Horizon League Championships, set for Wednesday, May 11 through Saturday, May 14. Seeding information and game times for the upcoming tournament will be available on Sunday evening.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
Keep up to date with everything Cleveland State Softball. Follow @CSU_Softball on Twitter, @CSU_Softball on Instagram, like /CSUVikings on Facebook and subscribe to the Cleveland State Athletics Youtube channel.