Greenville, NC-The Cleveland State softball team fell to stiff competition in their first test on Friday at the Jolly Roger Invitational hosted by East Carolina. The Vikings fell 10-0 in five innings to no. 11 Ohio State and lost 5-1 in the second game to host ECU.
In the first game of the day the Buckeyes got off to a fast start scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Cleveland State was able to hold OSU scoreless in the second, but the big inning struck in the third. Ohio State scored six runs to take an 8-0 advantage. The Vikings were only able to collect one hit offensively.
In game two East Carolina also struck first scoring three runs in the top of the first. The teams were scoreless until the fifth when ECU added two more to go up 5-0.
The Vikings mounted a scoring threat in the game's final inning. Cleveland State loaded the bases with no one out, and a Meridith Rankl sacrifice fly scored a run to put CSU on the scoreboard. That would be all the Vikings would get, as a flyout and a groundout ended the threat and the game.
Cleveland State is back in action tomorrow as the Vikings get set for a 10 a.m. first pitch against Presbyterian.