QUICK HITS
- Kelly Hysong had three hits and four RBIs to lead the Vikings
- Aly Packish recorded two hits and drove in two runs
- Alyssa Rose notched two hits, drove in two runs and scored a run
- Hanna Griffin picked up her third win of the season in the circle
- Cleveland State had a season high in runs scored (11)
GAME RECAP
LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Junior Kelly Hysong had three hits and drove in four runs and Cleveland State posted a season high in runs scored in an 11-8 victory over Robert Morris on Sunday in the Vikings finale at the Liberty Classic at the Liberty Softball Field.
Hysong was one of three Vikings to record multiple hits on the day as Aly Packish and Alyssa Rose each had two hits and drove in two runs.
Hanna Griffin worked 4.0 innings in the circle to secure her third victory of the season.
Cleveland State, which improved to 3-10 on the season, used a pair of five-run innings to rally to defeat the Colonials.
Robert Morris, which dropped to 3-9 on the year, jumped out to a quick lead with three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
CSU began its comeback in the top of the second inning when Rose single and scooted to third base when Lindsay Ward followed with a double.
Hanna Breeden reached on an infield single to load the bases, and Mackenzie Tucker brought in the Vikings first run of the contest by drawing a walk that forced in Rose.
Hysong then gave the Vikings the lead for good when she tripled down the rightfield line to bring in Ward, Breeden and Tucker and put CSU in front 4-3.
Packish delivered the Vikings final run of the second inning when she singled to left to plate Hysong and extend the lead to 5-3.
Cleveland State would double its run total in the top of the fourth inning by adding five more runs.
Hanna Breeden walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Griffin. Tucker reached on a bunt single to third base and stole second base to put a pair of runners in scoring position.
Breeden increased the CSU lead to 6-3 when she scored on a passed ball, and Tucker trotted in from third base on an RBI single from Hysong that pushed the lead to 7-3.
After Hysong advanced to second on a passed ball, Sydney Bajusz and Riley Ries drew walks to load the bases with two outs. Rose cashed in a pair of runs for CSU with an infield single that brought home both Hysong and Bajusz.
CSU's final run of the inning came when Ward reached on a throwing error, which allowed Ries to score and up the Vikings lead to 10-3.
Cleveland State increased the margin to 11-3 in the top of the fifth inning when Packish hit an RBI single that scored Tucker.
Robert Morris rallied with two runs in the fifth inning, a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh inning. The Colonials brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning but Rose worked out of the jam to preserve the victory.
Cleveland State returns to action on March 8-10 when it participates in the North Florida/Jacksonville Spring Break Challenge.
