April 15, 2005
Contact: Alan Ashby
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Vikings Host Wright State For Weekend Series: Cleveland State (9-19, 1-2 HL) kicks off a stretch of five home games in four days with a three-game Horizon League set against Wright State (9-12, 1-4 HL) at Viking Field on Saturday and Sunday (April 16-17). The Vikings are in the midst of a modest three-game winning streak and improved to 5-1 at home with a doubleheader sweep of Ohio on Wednesday.
Head Coach Julie Jones: In her ninth year at the helm of the Vikings, Julie Jones has directed Cleveland State a 191-238-2 record (.445). The 1997 Midwestern Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year, she guided the Vikings to the league championship that season and to a berth in the NCAA Tournament. A member of the NCAA Regional Softball Committee, she has coached 30 all-conference selections and three players who went on to play professionally during her tenure in Cleveland. A 1992 graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College in nearby Berea, she was inducted into the Yellow Jacket Hall of Fame in 2003. While at B-W, she was an all-region selection, an all-conference pick both on the field and in the classroom and a four-year starter.
Freshmen Bookend Line-up: In freshmen shortstop Amber Lowe and outfielder Whitney Willard, Julie Jones really has a pair of leadoff hitters. Batting in the top spot, Lowe is hitting .319 with 10 stolen bases. She batted .380 (19-50) during her recent 14-game hitting streak that came to an end in Monday's second game at IPFW. Willard has been a spark from the nine-hole, leading the team with a .345 average. She batted .552 (16-29) with five multi-hit contests during her 11-game hitting streak that came to an end last weekend at Butler.
Thornberry Has Solid Week: Junior J.J. Thornberry has put together a solid week in the circle for the Vikings. In two starts against IPFW and Ohio, she hurled a pair of complete game victories, surrenduring just eight hits, one earned run and three walks while fanning 14.
Unlikely Power Source: Junior second baseman Kaitlin Guyette might be the most diminunitive roster on the Cleveland State line-up, but that doesn't mean she isn't capable of packing a punch at the plate. The Mantua native leads the team with a .416 slugging percentage, thanks to a team-high eight doubles and a triple. She also has three of the team's seven three-hit games and is third with a .286 batting average.
Keep It Close, Play It Quick: Cleveland State has made a habit of playing close, quick games this season. Of the Vikings' 28 games, 17 have been decided by one or two runs, with CSU going 8-9 in those contests. In addition, the Vikings have played just one regulation game (and two extra-inning contests) that have lasted more than two hours (2:15 vs. Colgate on March 12). Meanwhile, CSU has sprinted through five games that have lasted less than 90 minutes.
Singles Club: Junior outfielder Shannon Graves has been a solid contributor at the plate the past two seasons, posting a .262 average from the number two spot in the line-up. A true slap-hitter, all 58 of the Medina native's hits have been singles. However, she has turned many of those into two-base hits with 28 career stolen bases -- including a perfect 10-for-10 mark this season.
Academic Excellence: The softball team has proved once again that it excels not only on the field, but in the classroom as well. The Vikings were honored on Thursday at the 15th Annual CSU Academic Honors Luncheon as the "Best of the Best" for having the top team grade point average at CSU. The squad combined for a 3.49 GPA with all 14 players posting a 3.0 or better. The Vikings have been ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Academic Division I top 20 for12th consecutive years.
Luginbuhl Rounds Into Form: A second team all-league pick in 2004, junior Grace Luginbuhl got off to a rocky start this season, giving up 17 earned runs in 18.1 innings over her first five outings. However, in her 16 appearances since, the Lima, Ohio native has surrendered just 18 runs in 73.2 innings for a 1.71 ERA. On March 28 against Robert Morris, Luginbuhl blanked the Colonials over 10.2 innings, striking out 10 while allowing just five hits en route to earning a save in game one and a win in the second contest. As of April 11, she ranked third in the league in strikeouts (65), fifth in innings pitched (79.0), fourth in appearances (19) and seventh in ERA (2.48). She has also been a valuable contributor at the plate, driving in a team-high 10 runs.
Lowe Settles In At Short: Amber Lowe's transition to from center field to shortstop wasn't an easy one, but the change is starting to pay dividends. The Carrollton native made 12 errors and had a .760 fielding percentage in her first 13 starts at short. However, in the eight games since, she has fielded all 35 chances flawlessly.
Mother Nature Wreaks Havoc With Schedule: Cleveland State has fought a losing battle with Mother Nature so far this year. The Vikings had two games cancelled due to rain in Florida and lost all three contests with UW-Green Bay due to a late-season winter storm that dumped six inches of snow on April 2. In addition, CSU's March 26 twin bill at IPFW was originally washed before being made up on April 11.
Pair Named To All-Tournament Team: Junior outfielder Shannon Graves and freshman pitcher Christina Swierz both earned a spot on the Charleston Southern Invitational All-Tournament team. Graves hit .333 (4-12) while Swierz went 1-1 with a 3.32 ERA.
Nicholas Out For Season: Senior right fielder Michelle Nicholas will miss the 2005 season with a knee injury. The Navarre, Ohio native injured the knee in the fall and opted to forgo surgery. Unfortunately, the injury did not heal properly and she is now scheduled to undergo the surgical procedure sometime in March. She will enter the 2006 campaign ranked among CSU's career leaders in triples (5th - 7), runs scored (7th - 60) and stolen bases (9th - 29).
Spidell, Luginbuhl Climbing Career Charts (Sort Of...): While senior Kortney Spidell is currently out with an injury, junior Grace Luginbuhl continues to move up the Cleveland State career pitching charts. While neither will probably catch current assistant Amy Kyler in any category, the two will certainly go down among the best in school history. Here's a look at where they stand:
Category Spidell Luginbuhl
Lowest ERA -- 3rd, 1.95
Innings Pitched 7th, 317.0 6th, 387.1
Wins 6th, 25 7th, 24
Winning Pct. T4th, .500 T4th, .500
Appearances 7th, 70 3rd, 93
Strikeouts -- 3rd, 336
Up Next: The Vikings cap off their seven-game homestand by hosting Youngstown State in a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 19. CSU then opens a 12-game road swing at St. Francis on Thursday (April 21) before heading to Detroit for the weekend.
