QUICK HITS
- Riley Ries went 5-for-8 with two doubles, a home run and drove in six runs in the doubleheader
- Riley Ries had three RBIs in each game of the doubleheader
- Aly Packish was 2-for-3 with a run scored in game one
- Lindsay Ward went 3-for-8, scored three runs and drove in a run in the doubleheader
- Sydney Bajusz was 2-for-4 in game two
- Kelly Hysong picked up her third win of the season in the circle
RECAP
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Senior Riley Ries went 5-for-8 with two doubles, a home run and six runs batted in and Cleveland State earned a split of its non-conference doubleheader with Robert Morris by winning the second game 8-5 on Wednesday at the North Athletic Complex. The Colonials won the opening game 6-5 with a walk-off single in the seventh inning.
Ries went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs in the opener and then capped her day by going 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs in the second game victory.
Cleveland State, which improved to 7-20 on the season, snapped a four-game losing streak by rallying past the Colonials in game two.
Ries broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning of game two when she launched her first home run of the season to leftfield staking the Vikings to a 1-0 lead.
Robert Morris, which dropped to 6-21 on the year, responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead.
Cleveland State took the lead for good with three runs in the top fo the sixth inning.
With one out, Aly Packish drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Lindsay Ward followed with a single to right that put runners on the corners with one out.
Ries knotted the game at 2-2 when she delivered an RBI single up the middle that brought home Packish.
After both runners advanced on a passed ball, Alyssa Rose hit an RBI groundout that plated Lindsay Ward and put the Vikings in front to stay at 3-2.
Pinch-runner Talia Minisall scored from third on a passed ball to up the Vikings lead to 4-2.
After Robert Morris trimmed the lead to 4-3 with a home run, Cleveland State put the game away by scoring four more times in the top of the seventh inning.
Pinch-hitter Mackenzie Tucker led off the inning with a single and Paige Hartley followed with a single to leftfield. Kelly Hysong reached on a Robert Morris error, which allowed Tucker to score from second base to increase the lead to 5-3.
Pinch-runner Abby Tolstyka stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error, which permitted Hartley to cross home plate with the Vikings sixth run of the game.
Following a groundout, Tolstyka scored on a wild pitch to increase the Cleveland State lead to 7-3. Lindsay Ward and Ries then hit back-to-back doubles to cap the Vikings scoring and push the margin to 8-3.
Robert Morris scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Hysong closed out the game by inducing a foul out to Hallie Ward to notch her third win of the season.
Robert Morris won the first game when Abrielle McCartney delivered an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to score the winning run.
Cleveland State took a 1-0 lead in the first inning against the Colonials in game one.
Hysong drew a walk to lead off the game and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Packish. After a groundout by Lindsay Ward moved Hysong to third base, Ries delievered the first run of the game with an RBI single to rightfield that scored Hysong.
Cleveland State upped the lead to 4-0 in the top of the third inning with three runs.
Hysong doubled to right to lead off the inning and advanced to third when Packish followed with a single to center. Lindsay Ward roped a single to centerfield that scored Hysong and increased the Vikings lead to 2-0.
Ries followed with a double to right centerfield that scored both Packish and Lindsay Ward to increase the CSU lead to 4-0.
Robert Morris answered with three runs in the bottom of the third inning and took a 5-4 lead with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Cleveland State rallied to tie the game with a run in the top of the sixth inning.
Syndey Bajusz led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hallie Ward. With two outs, Paige Hartley reached on a throwing error which brought home Bajusz with the tying run.
Cleveland State will face Green Bay on April 5-6 in the Vikings home opener. The teams will play a single game on April 5 and complete the series with a doubleheader on April 6 at Viking Field.
