Fort Wayne, IN-The Cleveland State softball team earned a third consecutive Horizon League series win by taking two of three from Purdue Fort Wayne, splitting a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon.
The Vikings took game one by a final score of 12-9 and fell in the second game 5-2. Cleveland State is 7-4 in league play and sits a half game out of first place.
After hitting three home runs in Tuesday's series opening win the Vikings once again used the long ball to power their way to a win in Wednesday's first game. Cleveland State connected for four home runs which accounted for nine of the 12 runs in the contest.
The Vikings got off to a good start scoring a run in the top of the first. The Mastodons struck back with a grand slam in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead.
Cleveland State responded with a big inning in the second. Emma Gilkerson smoked an RBI double to make it 4-2, and then Sophie Spellman hit the first home run of the game, a two-run shot which tied the score at four.
In the third, Becky Hurosky homered for the second straight game, hitting a solo shot to left field to make it 5-4.
After Purdue Fort Wayne tied the score once again, another long ball put the Vikings back in front again. Brooke Albaugh hit a two-run shot to left scoring Jenna Deang to give Cleveland State a 7-5 lead.
The decisive blow came in the sixth when Meridith Rankl hit a grand slam over the left field wall to push the Vikings ahead for good. CSU added one more on a Gilkerson RBI single and held off Purdue Fort Wayne for the 12-9 final score.
In the second game the Mastodons took an early 3-0 lead and thwarted the Vikings attempt at a second straight series sweep with a 5-2 victory.
Cleveland State returns home for a series with Green Bay at Viking Field starting Friday with a single game scheduled for 3:00 p.m.