Feb. 15, 2008
Final Stats
Contact: Brian McCann
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Amanda Macenko threw a one-hit shutout in the opener and then came back to earn the save in the nightcap as Cleveland State swept a pair of games at the UNC-Greensboro Spartan Classic on Friday (Feb. 15). The Vikings routed James Madison, 8-0 in five innings in the opener before rallying for a pair of sixth inning runs in a 2-1 win over Niagara in the nightcap.
"I am really impressed with the way we played today," second-year CSU head coach Angie Nicholson said. "We did not look like a team that was playing its first two games of the season.
"We hit the ball hard and to the open spaces in the first game and even though we were held in check for most of the second game, our kids never wavered. There was no sense of panic as we just went to the plate trying to make contact and create things."
Macenko, who set a CSU single season record with 26 wins a year ago, was near-perfect in the opener, allowing just two baserunners in five innings. She struck out seven, walked one and only allowed a first inning single to JMU's Courtney Simons.
"Amanda was awesome today. She had mid-season sharpness in the first game and then came on to get some tough outs in the night cap."
The Vikings scored the only run they would need in the first inning when Christa Coppus scored on a bases loaded wild pitch with two outs.
CSU would erupt for five runs in the fourth. Newcomer Natalie DeMatteis started the rally with a single that scored pinch runner Amanda Kern. Whitney Willard and Lia Gordon blew the game wide open as each added a two-RBI single.
The game ended with the eight-run mercy rule in the fifth when Jessica Burt's two-out double allowed DeMatteis and pinch-runner Tara Meyer to score.
The nightcap took on a different feel as Niagara's Felicia Coffey led off the game with a homerun off Viking freshman Kala Allred.
Allred would settle down, allowing just five hits in six innings, sriking out three without any walks. Unfortunately, Niagara's Tiffany McCroy was even better, holding the Vikings without a hit through five innings.
The tide turned for CSU in the bottom of the sixth when Danielle Young led off the inning with a single. With one out, Young stole second and Whitney Willard was safe on error by Purple Eagle second baseman Teresa Healy, sending Young to third. Willard promptly stole second and Christa Coppus walked to load the bases. Young scored CSU's first run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Gordon and Haley Keller followed with a single to score Willard.
With the lead in hand, Nicholson turned to Macenko to close the game and the sophomore ace delivered, retiring Niagara without a hit to earn her first save of the season.
"This was an awesome team effort today," Nicholson said. "It was a great way to open the season."
Matteis, a junior college transfer who started both games at third base, led the Viking offensive attack with three hits in five at-bats. She scored a pair of runs and drove in one.
Lia Gordon drove in three runs with both Willard and Burt driving in two.
On the base paths, CSU was a perfect four-for-four in stolen base attempts with Willard and Young each making two thefts.
Cleveland State continues play in the tourney on Saturday against Maryland-Baltimore County at 10:00 a.m. The Vikings then close tourney play on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. against Central Michigan.
