Huntington, WV-The Cleveland State softball team suffered two tough defeats on the final day of Thundering Herd March Madness hosted by Marshall University. The Vikings fell 7-3 to Winthrop to open the day, and then lost a 9-1 decision to host Marshall to close the weekend. 

The first game against Winthrop was much closer than the final score indicated. Winthrop scored three runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead. The Vikings slowly chipped away and eventually tied the score in the final inning. 

Cleveland State responded with two runs in the top of the third inning. The Vikings loaded the bases on the strength of two singles and a fielder's choice. Alexa Sieger followed with an RBI single to score the first run, and then Becky Hurosky reached on another fielder's choice to score the second run of the inning. 

The score remained 3-2 headed into the final inning. Kaelin Ettinger led off with a walk, and Emily Yacapraro came in to pinch run. She advanced to second on a sac bunt, and a Jenna Deang single put runners on first and third. Brooke Albaugh then brought Yacapraro home with an RBI groundout to second base, scoring the tying run. 

Winthrop's Macy McCall hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the inning which provided the difference in the first game of the day. 

In the second game of the day, Marshall's offense proved to be too much for the Vikings as the Thundering Herd scored four runs in the bottom of the first to open up an early lead. Marshall scored three in the third, and two more in the fifth, and the Vikings mustered just one hit on the day as the game ended in five innings. 

Cleveland State travels to East Carolina for one final non-conference weekend tune up before Horizon League play begins in two weeks.