April 15, 2006

Final Stats

GREEN BAY, Wis. - On Friday, Cleveland State couldn't get a clutch hit in a pair of one run losses. The story was completely different on Saturday, as senior Grace Luginbuhl nearly threw her first career no-hitter in a 9-0, six-inning victory at UW-Green Bay. With the win, CSU improves to 21-9 overall and 6-4 in the Horizon League, while the Phoenix falls to 7-14, 4-7.

Luginbuhl allowed just two batters to reach base in the first five innings -- on a walk and an error -- before pinch hitter Mollie Kaebisch led off the sixth with a clean single to center field for Green Bay's only hit of the game. Luginbuhl struck out four en route to improving to 14-5 with her fifth shutout of the year.

Senior J.J. Thornberry opened the scoring in the first with a two-out, two-run double. Freshman Christa Coppus then followed with a two-run double of her own in the second to chase Phoenix starter Amanda Margelofsky (1-4).

The Vikings added a run in the fourth and then used four singles, a walk and a wild pitch to close out the scoring in the top of the sixth.

Coppus finished the day with a career-high four hits and three RBI. Thornberry added three RBI of her own, while Luginbuhl collected three hits.

"We played very well today in every aspect of the game," CSU head coach Julie Jones said. "We got on top early and did a much better job of swinging at good pitches. The biggest difference from yesterday was that we put the ball in play with runners in scoring position."

Cleveland State is in action again on Tuesday (April 18), when the Vikings host St. Francis (Pa.) for two games beginning at 4:00 p.m. at Viking Field. The doubleheader is a special one, as CSU is teaming up with the Women Law Students Association (WLSA) and the Cleveland Clinic to hold "Strike Out Cancer Day" to help in the fight against breast cancer.