CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland State closed its three-game series with Youngstown State on Saturday at Viking Field, dropping a pair of games. The Vikings lost the opener, 5-2 before a 6-3 setback in the nightcap.

The Vikings fell to 13-25 overall and 3-8 in the Horizon League, while YSU improved to 19-20 overall (9-6 HL).

In the opener, YSU took a 4-0 lead in the first inning on a grand slam with the Vikings answering with an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning when Mel Woodard scored from third on a throwing error. The Penguins added a run in the fifth to take a 5-1 lead, but Sydney Bajusz's RBI single scored Paige Hartley in the bottom of the fifth to slice the deficit to 5-2.

Mackenzie Joecken started and worked the first three innings, while Kristen Catalano and Alicia Major each worked two innings. The trio combined for six strikeouts.

In game two, the Penguins plated four runs in the third inning to take a 4-0 lead. CSU answered with two runs in the fifth as Hartley's triple scored Olivia Jones and Hartley came in to score on an error.

YSU got the run back in the top of the sixth, but Hanna Breeden's RBI single cut the deficit back to two runs at 5-3. However, YSU added an insurance run in the seventh to push the lead back to 6-3.

Hartley and Woodard both went 2-for-4 in game two.

CSU is back on action on Tuesday afternoon when the Vikings host Oakland at 4:00 pm to open a three-game series.