Youngstown, OH-After a weather delay washed out play on Thursday, it took extra innings to finally determine a winner between Cleveland State and Oakland in a winner's bracket semifinal on Friday afternoon at the 2024 Horizon League Softball Tournament. The Vikings prevailed 2-1 in 12 innings thanks to timely hitting and a stellar performance in the circle from Melissa Holzopfel.
The game began with both teams scoring single runs in the first inning. Brooke Albaugh led off the game with an infield single and was sacrificed to second. With two outs, Becky Hurosky laced a line drive down the right field line which carried just far enough to score Albaugh from second base, as she slid into the back of the plate just ahead of the relay throw. The play was reviewed and upheld as video replay showed Albaugh slide in just ahead of the tag from Oakland catcher Jen Krizka.
The Golden Grizzlies responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the first. Brooklyn Plitz led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Once again with two outs, Reese Ruhlman found a hole through the right side for an RBI single scoring Plitz to tie the score at 1.
From there both pitchers settled in. Holzopfel, a first-team all-league selection, went toe-to-toe with league Pitcher of the Year and fellow first-team selection Sydney Campbell. Both pitchers continued to put zeroes on the board and the game remained 1-1 for the next ten innings.
Both teams had chances to break the tie. Cleveland State loaded the bases twice, in the sixth inning and again in the ninth inning, but both times Campbell was able to work out of trouble and keep the game tied. Oakland advanced runners into scoring position in both the eighth and 11th innings but Holzopfel was equally up to the task and kept the Golden Grizzlies off the scoreboard.
Cleveland State finally broke through in the 12th. Jenna Deang led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second. That brought Hurosky to the plate and she once again delivered in the clutch, lining an RBI double into the right-center gap to bring Deang to the plate and ignite the Viking dugout as Cleveland State grabbed the 2-1 lead.
Holzopfel ensured there would be no Oakland rally in the bottom of the inning as she struck out the side to seal the victory. Holzopfel went the distance and allowed just four hits and six total baserunners over the 12-inning performance. She struck out 14 and walked just two batters.
Cleveland State advances to take on no. 5 seed Robert Morris tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 8:00 a.m. The winner of the Cleveland State-Robert Morris matchup will earn a spot in the Horizon League Championship game. Stay tuned to Horizon League Tournament Central for updates. Tomorrow's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
