March 26, 2003

PITTSBURGH - The Cleveland State softball team had its winning streak stopped at five at Pittsburgh Wednesday, falling to the Panthers 9-0 and 6-1 at Trees Field.

The Vikings fell to 7-11 overall while Pittsburgh evened its slate to 14-14.

In the first game, Panther pitcher Nikki Gasti limited the Vikings to just one hit, a single by Michelle Beightol (Akron, Ohio/Springfield), while tying her own school record with 11 strikeouts in five innings of work. Pitt put a pair of runs on the board in the first inning and another three in the third before finishing out with four in the bottom of the fourth for a 9-0 lead. After the Vikes failed to score in the top of the fifth, the game was called due to the eight-run rule.

In game two, the Vikings spotted the Panthers a five-run lead before plating a run in the top of the fifth. Senior Stephanie Taylor (Wintersville, Ohio/Indian Creek) scored CSU's only run after rapping a double, one of her two hits in the game, moving to third on a Kortney Spidell (Strasburg, Ohio/Strasburg-Franklin) sacrifice and scoring on Jessica Miller's (Medina, Ohio/Medina) sacrifice fly. However, Pittsburgh countered with another score in the bottom of the sixth and took away the 6-1 victory.

Cleveland State opens its Horizon League schedule this weekend at Viking Field with Wright State University. The squads will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 29 beginning at 1 p.m. and follow with a single game on Sunday, March 30, also at 1 p.m.