CLEVELAND – The Cleveland State softball team continued one of its best starts to begin conference play in program history as the Vikings used a two-run sixth inning to collect a 2-1 victory over visiting Northern Kentucky in a Horizon League contest at Viking Field on Wednesday.

The Vikes jumped ahead to second place in the Horizon with the win and are now 9-3 in league play.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Cleveland State – 2, Northern Kentucky – 1 (seven innings)

LOCATION: Viking Field – Cleveland, Ohio

RECORDS: Cleveland State 13-17 (9-3 Horizon), Northern Kentucky 14-20 (4-8 Horizon)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

- Brooke Albaugh made up the offensive attack for the Vikes as she went 2-for-3 with two RBI on the day. It was her second multi-RBI game on the year.

- Jenna Deang continued her run of success at the plate with a 2-for-3 day and a run scored. In the past nine games, the Mokena, Ill. native has recorded 13 hits in total and at least one knock in eight-of-nine contests. She is now hitting .346 on the season, good for sixth overall in the Horizon League.

- Sophie Spellman picked up the other Viking hit on the afternoon. She went 1-for-2 at the plate with a run scored. It was the North Canton, Ohio native's second straight game with a hit and run.

- Melissa Holzopfel picked up her eighth win of the season. She went five innings and allowed four hits and a single unearned run to go with seven strikeouts. Her 135 punchouts lead the Horizon.

- Taylor Betz closed the game out with two scoreless innings in relief.

HOW IT HAPPENED

- The Vikings and Norse played five scoreless innings before an exciting sixth,

- NKU led off the inning with a run on a fielding error to jump ahead 1-0.

- CSU responded in the bottom half of the frame off a two-RBi single by Albaugh to take the 2-1 advantage.

- Cleveland State shut Northern Kentucky out in the top of the seventh to seal the 2-1 victory.

NEXT UP

While the next scheduled series is set to begin against Youngstown State on Friday, April 8, inclement weather set to hit the Greater Cleveland area might change that. Be sure to check the CSU Softball schedule pageand the @CSU_Softball twitter account for the latest updates.

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