Cleveland, OH-After weather took a toll on the first two days of the series, the Cleveland State softball team finally competed on its home field for the first time and suffered two close losses to IUPUI Sunday afternoon. The Jaguars won game one 1-0 and then took the second game by a 5-2 final score.
In game one, the lone IUPUI run came off a broken play in the third inning. Kendal Calvert laid a bunt down the third base line and reached first with an infield single. The throw to first base was up the line and carried into right field, and after the ball was misplayed in the right field corner Calvert hustled all the way around to score.
The Vikings had multiple scoring chances the rest of the way but could not push a run across. CSU put runners in scoring position in both the fifth and sixth innings but could not get the key hit to push home the tying run.
Melissa Holzopfel pitched well in both games for the Vikings, suffering a tough luck loss in game one despite striking out seven and surrendering just two walks. In game two, she entered in relief of starter Jenna Watts and helped the Vikings escape a bases-loaded jam in the top of the second inning. She went the final five and a third innings giving up just three hits.
The Viking offense came to life to start the second game. Jenna Deang led off the bottom of the first with a single and Brooke Albaugh followed with a two-run home run, her first homer of the season. The blast gave the Vikings an early 2-0 lead.
IUPUI responded with a big fly of their own when Kennedy Cowan hit a two-run shot in the fourth, and the Jaguars added another run later in the inning to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead.
Jaguar pitcher Carly Metcalf kept the Vikings in check the rest of the way. Following the back-to-back hits to start the game, Metcalf held Cleveland State hitless the rest of the way until the seventh inning. The Vikings did get the tying run to the plate in the seventh but a pop out and a groundout ended the threat and the game.
Cleveland State falls to 0-2 in the first Horizon League action of the season. IUPUI improves to 3-1 in league play.
The Vikings will be back in action this weekend with road matchups at Northern Kentucky scheduled for March 31st and April 1st.
