April 16, 2005
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
CLEVELAND - Cleveland State (10-20, 2-3 HL) pounded out 21 hits and scored 17 runs, but it was only enough to earn a split with Wright State (10-13, 2-5 HL) on Saturday afternoon at Viking Field. The Vikings claimed game one, 11-3, in six innings but fell in the second contest, 9-6 after leaving 13 runners on base.
Cleveland State opened the scoring in the opener by plating three runs in the bottom of the first on a single and five walks. After the Raiders trimmed the deficit to 3-2 with single runs in the second and third, Anna Hubert gave the Vikings some breathing room with a two-run double in the bottom of the third.
Wright State helped the Vikings out in the fifth and six innings, committing three errors that led to five unearned runs.
Amber Lowe paced Cleveland State at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs. Jackie Cornelius picked up two hits, while Hubert drove in three.
Grace Luginbuhl (5-9) went the distance, giving up six hits and no earned runs while striking out five. Cody surrendered five runs (four earned) and walked seven in two innings to fall to 3-6.
The Raiders got to CSU starter J.J. Thornberry in the top of the first inning in game two as Brandi Steiner tripled in a run and scored on an illegal pitch.
Michele Penney provided an immediate answer in the bottom of the inning with a three-run homer to center field.
The lead was short-lived however, as Stephanie Salas roped a two-run double and Cody plated Salas with a double of her own giving WSU a 5-3 advantage after two frames.
The Vikings chipped away at the lead, getting solo home runs from Cornelius in the third and J.J. Thornberry in the fifth to knot the score at 5-5.
The Raiders broke the game open in the sixth, scoring four unearned runs on two hits, two CSU errors, a walk and a hit batter. The Vikings attempted to rally in the seventh, scoring a run on an RBI single by Shannon Graves, but stranded two runners to end the game.
Cody (4-6) earned the win in relief, giving up six hits and two runs (one earned) in 4.2 innings of work.
Luginbuhl (5-10) took the loss despite not allowing an earned run in 5.1 innings of relief. She scattered five hits while fanning six.
Graves and Luginbuhl both picked up three hits to lead the Vikings.
"We really hit the ball well today and were much more patient at the plate," CSU head coach Julie Jones said. "We fought so hard to come back in the second game and then let it get away from us. We just couldn't get the big hit when we needed it and really should have been out the sixth inning a couple of different times."
Cleveland State and Wright State will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday (April 17) at 1:00 p.m. at Viking Field.
