April 2, 2006

Final Stats

CLEVELAND - Cleveland State jumped out to a 4-0 lead over UIC after three innings and held on for a 4-3 win in the rubber game of its opening Horizon League series on Sunday afternoon at Viking Field. At 16-5 (2-1 HL), the Vikings are tied with the 1995 squad for the best start in school history.

The marks the second year in a row that CSU has taken 2-of-3 from the league preseason favorites. Prior to winning last year's series in Chicago, the Vikings had been just 4-29 all-time against UIC.

Cleveland State touched Flames' starter Sarah Clynes for a pair of runs in the second to break open a scoreless tie. With two outs, Grace Luginbuhl walked, stole second and scored on a single by Kaitlin Guyette, who went to second on the throw home. Sarah Milosek then singled to right field, scoring Guyette.

The Vikings used another two out rally in the third to double their lead. Michelle Nicholas led off the inning with a double and came into score when Christa Coppus doubled three batters later. Michele Penney then followed with a run-scoring single up the middle to chase Clynes.

UIC (10-23, 1-2 HL) cut the lead in half in the sixth, when Joyce Cathey knocked in a pair with a one-out triple. Luginbuhl was able to escape further damage, getting a pop-up and a strike out to end the inning.

After CSU left the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, the Flames made things interesting in their final at-bat. Clynes drove in a run with a two-out double and Brittany McIntyre followed with a walk, but Luginbuhl struck out the next batter to end the threat and the game.

A day after being knocked out in the third inning by UIC, Luginbuhl turned things around in the circle to improve to 10-3 on the year. She gave up five hits and three runs while striking out 10 en route to her 12th complete game of the season.

Clynes surrendered five hits and four runs in 2.2 innings to fall to 5-6.

"It's really big to take 2-of-3 from UIC anytime, but especially at the beginning of the league season," CSU head coach Julie Jones said. "Our hitters did a much better job of putting the ball in play against Clynes than they did yesterday and we got some clutch two-out hitting."

Cleveland State steps out of league play on Tuesday (April 4) when the Vikings travel to Niagara for a twin bill beginning at 3:00 p.m.