May 7, 2006

Final Stats

CLEVELAND - Viking Field resembled Mudville on Sunday afternoon, in that there was no joy for Cleveland State following a 4-2 loss to Detroit in the regular season finale. The Senior Day defeat, coupled with UIC's 5-1 victory over Wright State, means the Vikings (35-13, 14-7 HL) missed claiming their first regular season title by a half game to the Flames (14-6 HL).

Despite the setback, CSU still earned the No. 2 seed in the Horizon League Championship which runs from May 11-13 at McCune Park in Canfield, Ohio. The Vikings will face seventh-seeded Wright State at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday (May 11) in the opening game of the tournament.

The Titans (17-26, 13-7 HL) struck first on a two-out RBI double by Amanda Bley in the top of the second inning. Detroit pushed the margin to 4-0 in the fifth, taking advantage of three hits, two walks and a wild pitch to plate three runs.

CSU cut the deficit in half in the home half of the fifth on a two-run triple by Whitney Willard. The Vikings threatened again in the sixth, loading the bases with only one out. However, the Titans turned a double play on a potential sacrifice fly, as Bley gunned down a runner at the plate from right field.

Detroit starter Brittney Hire retired CSU in order in the seventh to improve to 5-12 on the year. She scattered eight hits while striking out three in the complete game effort.

Viking starter Grace Luginbuhl gave up seven hits and four runs to fall to 22-9.

"We got runners on base early on in the game and moved them over, but just couldn't get a hit to drive them in," CSU head coach Julie Jones said. "We missed a real opportunity today. It's disappointing because we just didn't step up and get it done."

Michelle Nicholas collected two hits to pace CSU at the plate.