May 13, 2006

Final Stats

CANFIELD, Ohio - Cleveland State rallied from an early three-run deficit to defeat Loyola, 5-4, in an elimination game Friday night in the Horizon League Championship. The Vikings, who set a new school record with their 38th victory, will face UIC at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday morning (May 13) in the loser's bracket final. The winner of the game will take on Youngstown State at noon.

The Ramblers (20-41) started the game off with back-to-back singles before Nora Schober followed with a three-run homer to chase CSU starter Kortney Spidell. The Vikings loaded the bases in their half of the first, but failed to push a run across.

However, CSU (38-14) didn't waste another bases loaded opportunity in its next at-bat. Grace Luginbuhl drove in a run on an error and Michele Penney plated a pair with a two-out single. Spidell then drove in the fourth run of the frame with an RBI single.

Loyola tied the game in the third when Schober doubled, stole third and scored on a throwing error.

The score remained knotted until the sixth when Whitney Willard crossed the plate with the winning run on a Luginbuhl sacrifice fly.

Luginbuhl went seven innings in relief, giving up just four hits and a run to improve to 23-10 on the year.

Laura DeLeon dropped to 11-14 after allowing four hits and a run in four innings out of the bullpen.

"This team just refuses to give up," CSU head coach Julie Jones said. "I can't say enough about the character of our players. We've still got a lot of work ahead of us, but I like our spirit and our attitude right now."