Youngstown, OH-It was a classic pitcher's duel in the second quarterfinal game of the Horizon League Softball Tournament as Cleveland State earned a 2-1 win to advance to tomorrow's semifinal round. Emma Gilkerson provided the game-winning home run in the sixth inning and Melissa Holzopfel was stellar in the circle to propel the Vikings to victory. The win is the first postseason victory for CSU since the 2015-16 season.
The game was scoreless through four innings as Holzopfel and IUPUI's Carly Metcalf went back and forth with the two surrendering just four combined hits. Holzopfel worked through a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout in the fourth inning to keep the game scoreless.
IUPUI opened the scoring in the fifth inning. Morgan Gilbert reached base on a bunt single and advanced all the way around to home plate as two Cleveland State errors allowed her to score.
Cleveland State responded in the bottom of the fifth as Kiera Frascone led off the inning with a single. She was sacrificed to second, and Jenna Deang singled up the middle to advance Frascone to third. A sacrifice fly from Holzopfel brought her home to tie the score at 1.
After a scoreless top of the sixth, Gilkerson delivered the deciding blow with one out in the bottom of the sixth, as she launched a solo shot to left center field to break the 1-1 tie. It was her team-leading sixth home run of the season and gave Holzopfel a cushion headed to the final inning. She retired the side in order to secure the 2-1 victory.
Holzopfel allowed just three hits in the game and struck out eight as she went the full seven innings for her 16th win of the season.
Cleveland State advances to take on no. 2 seed Oakland in tomorrow's semifinal round. The game will begin at 2:30 p.m. and broadcast coverage will be available on ESPN+.
