Vikings Close Regular Season With Trips To Detroit & Valparaiso Athletics

Posted: May 04, 2011

May 4, 2011

Games 43-45
Cleveland State (25-17, 10-6) at Detroit (7-31, 2-14)
Date: Wed., May 4 at 3:00 p.m. (2) & Thurs., May 5 at 12:00 noon
Site: Buysse Ballpark (500), Detroit, Mich.

Games 46-48
Cleveland State at Valparaiso (30-18, 13-7)
Date: Sat., May 7 at 3:00 p.m. (2) & Sun., May 8 at 12:00 noon
Site: Valparaiso Softball Field (500), Valparaiso, Ind.

SETTING THE SCENE: The picture is crystal clear for the Viking softball team this week as CSU will take to the road for a three-game series at both Detroit and Valparaiso, needing six victories to assure themselves of winning the 2011 Horizon League regular season title and be able to host the Horizon League Championship from May 12-14 at Viking Field. After sweeping Youngstown State last week, CSU begins the week with a 25-17 overall record and in fourth place in the league standings with a 10-6 mark. The Vikings will play a doubleheader at Detroit on Wednesday (May 4) at 3:00 p.m. followed by a single game at noon on Thursday (May 5). CSU then heads to Valparaiso to play a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday (May 7) and a single game at 12:00 noon on Sunday. The only team remaining with less than seven league losses, the Vikings can clinch the title with six wins and will need some help if they go 5-1 or worse.

2011 SEASON PREVIEW: The Vikings return all but two regulars from last years team that went 44-15 and won the Horizon League regular season crown. Tabbed as the favorites to win the league title this year, CSU has had to replace three-time Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Amanda Macenko and CSU career home run leader Lia Gordon. Reigning Horizon League Player of the Year Tess Sito moves to the circle to take over for Macenko, who won 118 games during her Vikings career including 38 last year. Sito has pitched well, going 21-14 with a 1.52 ERA in 239.2 innings, striking out 245 batters while walking just 57. Junior Megan Bashak (2-0, 1.50 ERA), senior Kala Allred (1-0, 4.77), junior Brittany Bate (1-2, 6.77) and sophomore Brandy Holmes (0-1, 7.00) have also seen time in the circle. The outfield is deep, featuring five returners, with Jessica Burt (.271, 7 HR, 24 RBI, 22 runs, 8-11 SB) starting every game including 38 at the two corner spots, Alicia Nichols (.208) starting 40 times in center and Megan Bashak (.151), Caila Ferro (.170) and Macall Sheppard (.167) each starting around half of the games. The starting infield will depend on who is starting in the circle as Sito (.364, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 26 runs, 18-23 SB) can start anywhere but third. The left side of the infield has been consistent as Andrea Nagy (.248, 3 HR, 21 RBI) has started every game, most at shortstop, after missing the 2010 season because of injury, and Gabby Gillilan (.265, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 12 runs) has started all but two games at third. Dara Toman (.295, 8 HR, 24 RBI, 19 runs) has split her time between first and second and Katelyn Ciminelli (.156) has been the primary starter at first base. Amy Powell (.224, 2 HR, 7 RBI), a second team all-league pick last year, has started every game behind the plate.

CSU IN THE NCAA STATS: The Vikings received several mentions in the most recent NCAA statistics, which were released on Tuesday (May 3) and include games played through Sunday (May 1). Individually, Tess Sito ranks 12th nationally in shutouts (10), 23rd in strikeouts (245), 39th in ERA (1.52) and 50th in fewest walks allowed (1.66/g). As a team, CSU was 41st in ERA (2.04) and 42nd in double plays per game (0.36).

A LOOK AT THE LEAGUE RACE: With one week and a total of five league series remaining, as many as five teams have a chance to win the regular season title (and host the league tourney) and it is anybody's guess who it will be. With six games left, the Vikings control their own destiny, being able to win the league title with six wins, but even one loss, opens the door for a number of teams to claim the crown. CSU is 10-6 in league play with every other team already having seven or more losses. Loyola and Valpo currently share the league lead with a 13-7 record with the Ramblers slated to play three games at last place Detroit, making it likely that the champion will have to play better than .696 ball (16-7). Now if bad weather hits again and forces cancellations, the door opens for teams that are able to play all three games.

SITO TOPS 20 WIN MARK: With three wins in the circle against Youngstown State, sophomore Tess Sito has become just the third pitcher in school history to record 20 or more wins in a season. Sito enters the week ranking eighth all-time with 21 wins this year, giving CSU a 20-game winner in six straight seasons. Amanda Macenko registered 26 wins or more in four straight seasons from 2007-10 with Amy Kyler accomplishing the total twice (22 in 1995 & 24 in 1997) and Grace Luginbuhl posting 23 victories in 2006.

SITO ON THE PITCHING CHARTS: With a week to go in the regular season, sophomore Tess Sito is already having an impact on the CSU single season pitching charts. She enters the week ranking third all-time in shutouts (10), fourth in innings pitched (239.2), fifth in strikeouts (245) and games started (31), seventh in strikeout ratio (7.2) and appearances (39), eighth in wins (21), and 10th in ERA (1.52). She leads the Horizon League in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts.

NAGY BUSTS OUT: Junior shortstop Andrea Nagy had a break out game in the series finale against Youngstown State, going one-for-two with a home run, two runs scored and six RBI. The effort included a first inning grand slam that staked the Vikings to a 4-0 lead. For the week, she was three-for-six with a double, home run and seven RBI.

BATE CLAIMS PRESIDENT'S AWARD: The 21st annual John Konstantinos Athletics Academic Honors Luncheon was held on April 20 with Viking senior pitcher Brittany Bate walking away with one of the biggest honors of the day. Bate, who will graduate in May with a 3.93 GPA in criminology, sociology and psychology, received the President's Award which is given to the graduating senior with the highest GPA. Bate received an additional distinction by being one of four seniors who made the Dean's List in all seven semesters at CSU.

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY: One year after losing just two games during the northern portion of its schedule due to weather, the Viking softball team has had its slate decimated by rain this year. When CSU finally returned from its spring break, the Vikings had seven non-conference doubleheaders scheduled for the year. After playing the first two, sweeping a pair of home games vs. IUPUI on March 29 and taking two at Toledo the following day, the Vikings have had all five doubleheaders canceled because of rain. Included in that list was the Eastern Michigan twinbill, which was rained out twice. It was originally slated for April 6 and then rescheduled for April 26 but Mother Nature forced the cancelation both days. CSU has also lost two league games due to rain and had the dates of over half of the series adjusted so that they could be played in better weather.

THE HOME RUN RACE: Sophomore Dara Toman was the only player among the team home run leaders to go deep last week, recording her team-best eighth homer of the year in the series finale against Youngstown State. Jessica Burt is second on the squad with seven long balls and Tess Sito is third with five. The eight HRs this year, combined with the 16 she hit last year, rank her second on the career chart with 24 with Sito ranked third with 23. Amy Powell (16) and Burt (13) are sixth and 10th, respectively. Lia Gordon is the career leader with 26 home runs from 2007-10.

A TOUGH TEAM TO COME BACK ON: One trend that has continued regarding the Viking pitching this season has their ability to hold a lead. CSU is 73-0 over the last three seasons when it takes a lead into the seventh inning, including a 19-0 record this year. Going back even further, CSU is 94-1 over the last four seasons, with the lone loss coming to Wright State in the semi-finals of the 2008 Horizon League Championship when CSU couldn't hold a 4-3 lead in the final frame, falling, 6-4.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES: Through a quirk in the Horizon League schedule, the Vikings will close the 2011 league schedule with back-to-back road trips to Detroit and Valparaiso, meaning that CSU will have played 15 of the 24 league contests on the road this year. . . UIC gets the better part of the situation, playing 15 home games. . . the situation was reversed last year with CSU getting the 15 home contests but the schedule will straighten out next year with each of nine teams playing 12 home and 12 road games. . .

NEXT UP: With the regular season complete, the Vikings will take part in the 2011 Horizon League Championship, which will be held from Thursday, May 12 through Saturday, May 14 at the regular season champion.