HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Cleveland State Vikings softball dropped both games in a doubleheader against Northern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon, coming up just short in a 6-5 walk-off loss before running out of steam in a 12-1 defeat to close the weekend series.
With the setbacks, the Vikings (9-17, 4-10) fall two games back of seventh-place Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League standings with a six-game homestand on the docket next weekend.
Game One Recap - Norse 6, Vikings 5
Senior Courtney Fernette hit a game-tying single down the left field line in the seventh inning, but Northern Kentucky answered by scoring on a bases-loaded error to take the opening game 6-5.
Hanna Griffin was sharp in her first start in eight games, holding the Norse to three earned runs on seven hits while overcoming five walks in 6.2 innings of work.
Cleveland State struck first when Sydney Bajusz followed a pair of walks with a single to right center in the first inning, bringing Kiera Frascone home from second for a 1-0 lead.
Northern Kentucky grabbed its first advantage on a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame, but Bajusz had the answer in the third inning with a solo homer to left field, knotting it at 2-2. The blast marked Bajusz's team-leading fifth of the season and second in as many games.
Torrie Jenkins launched a solo shot of her own in the fourth to plate the go-ahead run, making the score 3-2 Vikings. The bomb pushed Jenkins' season total to five, matching Bajusz.
In the same inning, Courtney Fernette walked and moved to second on a wild pitch before advancing to third on a single off the bat of Kaelin Ettinger. Cleveland State loaded the bases when Jenna Deang reached on a fielder's choice, setting up a pinch-hit RBI groundout to second base by Gabby Shackelford for some added insurance at 4-2.
The Norse cut the deficit in half in the fourth before tacking on runs in the fifth and sixth innings to snag a 5-4 lead. Bajusz led off the seventh with a walk before making it to second on a wild pitch and heading to third when Jenkins reached on an error by the shortstop. With runners at the corners and one down, Fernette delivered the tying single on a ball that sailed just over the outstretched arm of Northern Kentucky's shortstop and into the outfield grass, knotting the contest at 5-5.
Griffin recorded the first two outs of the seventh inning on only four pitches but ran into trouble shortly thereafter as the Norse logged back-to-back singles before loading the bases on a wild pitch. The game-winning run crossed the plate on a well-placed ball inside the infield that took a difficult bounce but was officially ruled an error on Ettinger.
Bajusz finished 2-3 with two RBI, a walk and a pair of runs scored while Frascone did not record a hit but found other ways to affect the contest, drawing a walk, stealing a base and scoring a run.
Game Two Recap - Norse 12, Vikings 1 (5 innings)
Not much went right for the Vikings in the series finale as Northern Kentucky plated nine runs over the opening two frames and led 12-0 after three.
Cleveland State found its lone run on Mackenzie Tucker's first career homer in the fifth frame, a pinch-hit blast to center field.
Aly Packish doubled for the Vikings while Becky Hurosky went 2-2 at the dish with a pair of singles.
UP NEXT
The Vikings play a six-game homestand over the course of five days from April 2-6, starting with next Friday's doubleheader against Detroit Mercy.
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