SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Cleveland State Vikings softball team fell in their final game of the Cardinal Invitational on Sunday (Feb. 16) to Delaware, 5-3. Cleveland State finished its season-opening tournament with a 2-3 record.
Game Recap:
The first four innings of today's contest were scoreless, before the Vikings recorded the game's first run in the top of the fifth inning. Freshman Kaelin Ettinger launched a homerun over the left field fence, giving Cleveland State a 1-0 lead.
The Blue Hens responded by tacking on two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, taking a 2-1 lead heading into the sixth.
With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Courtney Fernette smashed a homerun to tie the game up, 2-2. Pinch hitting for Paige Hartley, Mackenzie Tucker ripped a triple to right center field, putting the sophomore on third base with two outs. Lindsay Ward was next up to the plate for the Vikings, who notched a single, scoring Tucker.
Cleveland State held a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Delaware led off the bottom of the final frame with a solo homerun and capped today's game off with a two-run, walk-off dinger.
Taylor Betz pitched 5.1 innings for the Vikings, striking out two and allowing two earned runs. Hanna Griffin (0-2) came in for relief, allowing three runs in 1.0 inning.
Up Next:
Cleveland State will be back on the field Saturday, Feb. 29th in Clinton, S.C. for another double header. The Vikings will first take on Wagner at 12:15 p.m. before squaring off against Presbyterian at 2:30 p.m.
