April 2, 2002

Cleveland State softball players Stephanie Taylor (Wintersville, Ohio/Indian Creek) and Kortney Spidell (Strasburg, Ohio/Strasburg-Franklin) were honored by the Horizon League Monday for their performances last week.

Taylor, a junior catcher, was named the Player of the Week while Spidell, a freshman, was named Pitcher of the Week after the Vikings swept Canisius in a doubleheader on Saturday.

Taylor provided much of the firepower in the wins over the Golden Griffins. In the 4-1 win in the opener, Taylor went 2-for-3, including a three-run double in the third that put the Vikings on the board. She also had a hand in CSU's final run, singling to center in the bottom of the sixth. A pinch runner eventually scored in her place, giving the Vikes an insurance run.

In the nightcap, Taylor got the seventh inning rally started with the Vikings down 2-0. With one out, she doubled to left, the first of five straight hits for CSU that led to a 3-2 victory.

A rookie righthander, Spidell picked up her first win of the season against Canisius. After seeing the Golden Griffins put two unearned runs on the board in the first inning, Spidell held them at bay the rest of the game, scattering five hits over the next six innings to kept the Vikes within striking distance. Spidell also picked up CSU's first save of the year in Game 1, tossing three innings without giving up an earned run.