Vikings Battle IUPUI in Horizon League Home Opener Athletics

Posted: Mar 19, 2021

SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State Vikings softball team returns home for the first time in 35 days as it plays host to IUPUI to continue #HLSB action. The matchup marks Cleveland State's first game within the confines of Viking Field since a 4-2 win over Wright State on April 27, 2019. Last week, the Green and White split a four-game set with Purdue Fort Wayne to open conference play. In a 4-3 win to open the series, Alexa Sieger hit a two-run homer while Hanna Griffin picked up the win with five strong innings, allowing a pair of earned runs on five hits while punching out three. In the weekend finale, the Vikings jumped out to an eight-run lead by the fourth frame and held on for a 10-7 victory thanks to huge outings from Sydney Bajusz (3-4, four RBI) and Torrie Jenkins (3-4, three RBI).

SCOUTING IUPUI
The Jaguars (3-11, 1-3) struggled with tough matchups in non-conference play but snagged their first Horizon League win of the campaign in a 7-5 victory over Oakland last Saturday. IUPUI is off to a slow start at the plate, but Morgan Gilbert is batting .348 while Lauren Youngblood hits .324 while tying for the team lead with three doubles. In the circle, Lexi Lucas owns a 2.86 ERA and has gone the distance in four of her six starts while striking out 19.

AGAINST THIS OPPONENT
The Vikings has a 6-9 record against the Jaguars since the head-to-head battle began in 2001. In the most recent series between the two sides in 2019, the Vikes logged a 1-0 win before falling in back-to-back contests.

RISING IN THE HORIZON OVERALL – IN THE CIRCLE
Hanna Griffin is tied for the Horizon League lead in wins (four) and second in innings pitched (43.1) while Taylor Betz and Jenna Watts both rank inside the top 10 in batting average allowed at .242 and .244, respectively. Watts and Torrie Jenkins are two of six pitchers in the conference to record a save while Betz currently sits sixth in strikeouts (23).

RISING IN THE HORIZON OVERALL - AT THE PLATE
Collectively, the Vikes rank fourth in #HLSB with a .234 batting average and are first in walks (41) while ranking second in hits (103), runs scored (69), RBI (62), home runs (nine) and total bases (153).

LEADING THE WAY
Through 12 games, Sydney Bajusz leads the Horizon League in hits (20), RBI (t-15), doubles (eight), runs scored (13) and walks, tying teammate Taylor Duncan with eight each. The senior sits among the top seven in batting average (.370), on-base percentage (.452) and slugging percentage (.685) while placing third in homers (three). Bajusz is coming off a productive weekend in Purdue Fort Wayne in which she went 5-12 (.417) at the plate with four RBI, a homer, three doubles and seven runs scored.

FRESHMEN STEPPING UP
Torrie Jenkins had a breakout game at the plate to close the series at Purdue Fort Wayne, going 3-4 with three RBI, a double, a homer and a pair of runs scored. Jenkins is part of a six-player freshman class making significant contributions early in the season. Kiera Frascone is hitting a solid .250 with swiping a league-high seven stolen bases and Jenna Deang has appeared in 14 of 16 games at shortstop.

Alexa Sieger is tied for second on the team in doubles (three) and tied with Jenkins for fourth in RBI (seven). Additionally, Jenna Watts has tossed 21.2 innings in the circle, including a complete game against Bowling Green on Feb. 13. Watts has limited right-handed hitters to a team-best .219 clip.

CLUTCH HITTING
The Vikings have been at their best when it matters most, hitting .293 (39-133) as a team with runners in scoring position. Sydney Bajusz (9-16, .563), Taylor Duncan (7-14, .500), Courtney Fernette (5-11, .455) and Kiera Frascone (4-11, .364) have combined for over half of Cleveland State's hits in potential scoring situations.

GET ON THE BOARD EARLY
The Vikings have won four of six games in which they've scored first compared to a 3-7 mark when the opponent plates the opening run. They also hold a 5-2 record when leading after two innings of play.

WEEKLY AWARDS
Hanna Griffin and Taylor Duncan were named Horizon League Pitcher and Player of the Week, respectively, on Feb. 23 , giving the Vikings four individual #HLSB honors through two weeks of action. In doubleheaders against Charleston Southern and College of Charleston, Griffin tossed back-to-back complete games, including a shutout, while Duncan hit at a 6-12 (.500) clip at the plate with a pair of doubles and three RBI. Griffin and Duncan joined Bajusz and Betz as Vikings with 2021 Horizon League weekly awards.

UP NEXT
The Vikings hit the road on Tuesday, March 23 for a doubleheader against Robert Morris before traveling to Northern Kentucky on March 26-27 for a four-game series.

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Vikings Battle IUPUI in Horizon League Home Opener

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