Charleston, SC-The Cleveland State softball team suffered two tough losses on Friday to open the Maroon and Gold Challenge hosted by the College of Charleston. 

The Vikings fell to Marist in the first game of the day in six innings by a final score of 10-1. Marist tallied back-to-back three-run innings in the third and fourth to take a 6-0 lead. The Vikings responded with one in the bottom of the fourth on a wild pitch, but Marist answered back with four more runs over the final two frames to end the game. 

In the nightcap, Charleston took the early lead scoring two in the first inning and another in the third. However the Vikings did not back down, mounting a comeback attempt a couple of innings later. 

In the fifth, Cleveland State put two runners on thanks to a hit by pitch and a single and Jenna Deang was able to cash in with two outs. Her RBI single scored Peyton Mueller-Stenz to make it 3-1. 

In the sixth, the Vikings once again put a runner aboard and Sophie Spellman delivered an RBI hit, doubling into left field to score Kiera Frascone. The Vikings had the tying run in scoring position, but Emma Gilkerson caught a tough break lining into a double play which ended the CSU scoring threat. 

The Vikings went 1-2-3 in the seventh as the comeback effort fell just short. 

Cleveland State returns to the diamond tomorrow for two more games, starting first with Marist at noon.