Indianapolis, IN-The Cleveland State softball team saw its offense break out in a major way on Saturday as the Vikings swept a doubleheader at IUPUI. After being shut out in the opening game of the series on Friday, the Vikings exploded for a combined 30 runs in two games to take the series thanks to the doubleheader sweep. Cleveland State won game one by a final score of 12-7 and followed up with an 18-2 win in game two in just five innings as the game ended early due to the run rule.
Cleveland State tallied 14 hits in the first game and tacked on 22 more in game two. Half of CSU's hits in the second game went for extra bases. Cleveland State totaled 17 extra-base hits in the two games combined including the first three home runs of the season for the Vikings.
The first game saw both teams have big innings early. IUPUI struck for five runs in the bottom of the first off of CSU starter Torrie Jenkins. The Vikings did not blink and responded with a five spot of their own in the top of the second.
Cleveland State broke the inning open thanks to two extra-base hits. Kiera Frascone started with a double down the right field line which scored two runs. Two batters later Melissa Holzopfel scored two more runs with a triple up the middle. Holzopfel later scampered home on a wild pitch to tie the score at five.
IUPUI scored a single run in the bottom of the second and the Vikings scored a single run in the top of the third thanks to a Jenna Watts RBI single which left the score tied at six after three full innings.
Cleveland State broke the game open in the fourth by scoring four runs on four hits and an IUPUI error. The Vikings put the first two runners aboard and an error by the shortstop allowed the first run of the inning to score. A Becky Hurosky single pushed another run across and Kylie Gorsuch later followed with a two-RBI single to finish off the scoring in the inning as pinch runner Marley Queen and Holzopfel crossed the plate.
Hurosky delivered the knockout blow in the sixth as she struck her first home run of the season to straightaway center field to make it 11-7 Cleveland State. A Watts sacrifice fly later in the inning scored Gorsuch to cap off the scoring. Hurosky finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored in the first game.
Jenkins went the distance in the circle for her first win of the season. She held the Jaguars scoreless over the final three innings to preserve the lead. Jenkins struck out two and did not walk a batter in her seven innings of work.
In the second game the Vikings picked up right where they left off, exploding for 18 runs on 22 hits. Cleveland State scored in every inning save for the fifth in the shortened game due to the run rule.
The Vikings took an early 3-1 lead through the first two innings. Brooke Albaugh and Jenna Watts each struck lead off home runs in the first and second innings to give the Vikings an early edge.
The majority of the damage was done in the third and fourth innings. Cleveland State struck for eight in the third inning and added seven more runs in the fourth to put the game out of reach.
In the third the floodgates opened when Sophie Spellman doubled to left center with the bases loaded, clearing the bases to drive in three runs. Following a pitching change, four straight RBI hits from Frascone, Albaugh, Jenna Deang and Holzopfel brought four more runs across. Cleveland State totaled eight runs on ten hits in the inning.
In the fourth it was more of the same. Spellman started the rally with an RBI single and Albaugh followed with a two-RBI single to score two more runs. RBI groundouts from Holzopfel and Alexa Sieger brought two more runs in and Grace Narkum finished the scoring with an RBI single of her own. Cleveland State tallied seven runs on seven hits and left just one runner on base in the inning.
Every Cleveland State starter tallied at least one hit in the second game. Albaugh finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored, Spellman was 3-for-3 with four driven in, and Watts finished 3-for-3 with four runs scored and an RBI.
The onslaught was more than enough for Holzopfel in the circle as she picked up her fifth win of the season. She allowed two earned runs in four innings and struck out five. Freshman Katie McDonald pitched the final inning, striking out two to close out the run rule win.
Cleveland State returns to the diamond on March 25 for a non-league game against Akron. The Vikings will then host their first home game of the season at Viking Field later that week as Oakland comes to town on March 29.
