CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State University lacrosse program checked off one of its most notable 'firsts' thus far, as the Vikings won their first game of the season by taking down visiting Baldwin Wallace, 9-2, on the first day of the Sixth City Showdown Saturday evening inside Krenzler Dome.

The Vikings scored five goals in the game's first 12 minutes, which proved to be more than enough when combined with their stout defensive effort.

Eleven different Vikings combined for 13 caused turnovers on the game, as Cleveland State forced the Yellow Jackets into 22 total turnovers and an 8-for-17 mark on clearing attempts.

Caleb Espinoza was huge between the pipes for the Vikings as he posted 10 saves while allowing just the two goals.

Cleveland State was led offensively by Tristen Copeland, who scored four times on five shots. Copeland became the first Viking in program history to record a hat trick, a feat which he accomplished in the opening 12 minutes of the game.

Jack Frickleton scored twice for the Vikings while Jake Lewis (1g, 1a) and Noah Gleeson (2 assists) also added a pair of points.

Copeland scored the game's opening goal fewer than 90 seconds into action, and Cleveland State never looked back. A save by Espinoza on the next possession, a successful clear and a Frickleton strike, assisted by Sherwin Gersten, doubled the Viking lead.

Copeland scored twice more in the first quarter, sandwiched around a goal by Lewis, to give Cleveland State some breathing room after the opening 15 minutes.

Copeland would finish his scoring by giving the Vikings a 6-0 lead after the midpoint of the second quarter. After shutting out the Yellow Jackets for the first 26 minutes of the game, Baldwin Wallace found the scoreboard in the closing stages of the first half, setting the halftime margin.

Baldwin Wallace scored in the opening minute of the second half, but that was as close as they would get. Espinoza saved the final six shots on goal he saw, two of which came with CSU playing a man down.

Ethan Peterson scored from Gideon Brockenbrough late in the third quarter for Cleveland State while Frickleton and Danny Tesler added fourth-quarter goals to set the final tally.

Nate Menendez finished with three ground balls and two caused turnovers for Cleveland State while Brandon Ruditz had two ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers.

Lewis posted his third consecutive multi-point game while Copeland had his second multi-goal game of the season and third straight game with a point. Gleeson had his first multi-assist game of the campaign.

The victory also marked the first collegiate win as a head coach for Dylan Sheridan.

Cleveland State will be right back in action Sunday, Feb. 19, when it finishes action in the Sixth City Showdown by hosting John Carroll, who claimed a 19-6 victory over Oberlin in the other game Saturday.