CLEVELAND – The Cleveland State softball program kept with its winning ways and collected its 10th Horizon League win of the season as the Vikings knocked off visiting Youngstown State in a 3-1 conference thriller at Viking Field on Sunday afternoon.

To put the victory in perspective, the Vikes haven't won 10 conference games in a single-season since the 2016 campaign (when the team went 12-12 in Horizon League play).

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Cleveland State – 3, Youngstown State – 1 (seven innings)

LOCATION: Viking Field – Cleveland, Ohio

RECORDS: Cleveland State 14-17 (10-3 Horizon), Youngstown State 19-15 (6-4 Horizon)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

- Melissa Holzopfel threw another gem in the circle as the freshman went all seven innings and allowed just a single hit and one earned run. She recorded 13 punchouts on the afternoon, one shy of her career-best and the seventh time she has recorded double-digit strikeouts in a game so far this season. The Massillon, Ohio native now leads the Horizon League in strikeouts (148) and punchouts looking (40). She is also tied for second in the conference with 11 complete games.

- Sophie Spellman had another big day at the dish with a 2-for-3 performance. She drove in two runs and also scored a run, to go with hitting her second homerun of the season.

- Becky Hurosky finished the day 2-for-3 with a RBI in the contest.

- Jenna Deang went 1-for-4 out of the leadoff spot with a run scored.

- Sydney Bajusz (1-for-2, BB) and Kaelin Ettinger (1-for-3) also had hits for the Vikes while Katie Holmes chipped in a run scored. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

- Youngstown State took advantage of Holzopfel's only mistake of the game with a solo shot to straightaway centerfield to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

- CSU answered back in the bottom of the fourth as Spellman singled to the third base side that scored Holmes as the Vikings tied the game at 1-1.

- Cleveland State was back at it again in the bottom of the fifth with a Hurosky single up the middle that scored Deang to make it 2-1 Vikes.

- Spellman put some more distance between the two squads with a solo-shot in the bottom of the sixth to push CSU ahead 3-1.

- Holzopfel slammed the door in the top of the ninth as the Vikings collected the victory.

NEXT UP

The Vikings will get a short break before a weekend series on the road at Green Bay on Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16. Friday will feature a single-game at 3 PM ET while Saturday will consist of a doubleheader with a first pitch at 1 PM. Fans can follow along with live stats for the entire weekend here.

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