VIDEO: Highlights
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cynthia Woodard hit a two-run, walk-off home run with one out to give Cleveland State a 4-3 win over league-leading Oakland on Friday afternoon at Viking Field.
After Susan Knight hit a single up the middle with one out, Woodard sent a two strike pitch over the rightfield fence for her league-leading 21st homer of the season. It was also her 42nd and 43rd RBI this season, tops in the league.
Woodard was one of four Vikings to finish with two hits in the game, joining Knight, Alyson Broschk and Katelind Phillips as the group posted eight of CSU's nine hits.
The win improved the Vikings to 21-20 overall and 6-7 in the Horizon League, while Oakland fell to 20-19 overall and 11-4 in the league.
The Golden Grizzlies used an RBI single by TJ Bindus to take a 1-0 lead in the second, but CSU came right back in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with two outs. Phillips came through with the big hit, an RBI single that scored Broschk to tie the game at 1-1.
Knight and Woodard led off the third inning with consecutive singles and moved to second and third on Erica McNew's sacrifice bunt. An RBI groundout from Broschk scored Knight as CSU took a 2-1 lead.
Oakland responded in the fourth on Courtnee Johnson's RBI singleand threatened to score more, but Knight was able to work out of a jam with timely pitching and defense. Woodard cut down a run at the plate on a groundout, while Knight was able to get the third out of the inning on a ground ball to third with runners on second and third.
However, the Golden Grizzlies were able to take a 3-2 lead in the seventh as Jackie Kisman led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on an error and stole third. She came in to score on Morgan Muron's double.
But the lead did not last long, thanks to Woodard's heroics in the bottom of the seventh as she extended her CSU single season school record to 21 homers.
Knight worked six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts, but did not get a decision. Mackenzie Joecken worked the last inning and was credited with the win to improve to 4-4 this year.
The teams will conclude their three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday (April 25) beginning at 11:00 am at Viking Field.
