April 1, 2006

Game One Final Stats | Game Two Final Stats

CLEVELAND - Cleveland State rebounded from an 11-1 run-rule defeat in the Horizon League opener with UIC to claim game two, 5-4, on Saturday afternoon at Viking Field. The Vikings (15-5, 1-1 HL) trailed 3-0 heading into the fourth inning, before rallying for the win in the night cap.

In the opener, UIC (10-22, 1-1 HL) broke open a scoreless game with a five-run third. After loading the bases with one out, Joyce Cathey singled to drive in the game's first run. Nicole Robinson then followed with a bases clearing triple to the gap in right field. She then came around to score on a Nikki Rogers' sacrifice fly.

The Flames tacked on single runs in the fourth and fifth before closing out the scoring with four more in the sixth.

UIC's Sarah Clynes surrendered just four hits while striking out seven to even her record at 5-5 on the year.

Grace Luginbuhl fell to 9-3, giving up five earned runs in 2.2 innings of work. The loss snapped her five-game winning streak.

In game two, the third inning once again proved to be Cleveland State's undoing, as the Flames struck for three unearned runs. With two outs, Nicole Shepard singled in Brittany Dixon who had reached on an error to start the inning. Cathey then launched her league-leading fifth home run over the left field wall to put UIC up, 3-0.

In the fourth, the Vikings loaded the bases with one out thanks to a Christa Coppus single and a pair of walks. Sarah Milosek then singled to left field to get CSU on the board. After a force out at home, Michelle Nicholas knocked in a run with an infield single and Whitney Willard followed with a walk to force in another run.

Coppus started things off again in the next inning with a walk. She then moved to second on a sacrifice and came around to score on a double by J.J. Thornberry. The Vikings tacked on what proved to be an important insurance run in the sixth when Nicholas led off with a triple and pinch runner Amber Lowe scored on a Willard groundout.

UIC attempted to rally in the top of the seventh, putting runners on second and third with just one out. The Flames drew within one on a groundout, but popped out to end the game with the tying run on third.

Christina Swierz earned the victory in her first appearance of the year, giving up four hits and an unearned run in 4.1 innings in relief of starter Kortney Spidell.

UIC starter Kelly Cross surrendered four earned runs in four innings of work to fall to 4-9.

"Christina came in and did a great job for us in the second game," CSU head coach Julie Jones said. "It was huge to earn a split after getting run-ruled in the first game. I said to them in between games `that it was just one game, big deal.' However, we need to play even better tomorrow if we hope to win the series."

The teams will play the rubber game of the series tomorrow with the first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.