March 29, 2008

Game 1| Game 2

Contact: Brian McCann

FAIRBORN, Ohio -- In the words of baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, "it was deja vu all over again" for the Viking softball teams as CSU used a pair of two-run rallies in the bottom of the seventh to sweep a doubleheader from Wright State by identical 4-3 scores on Saturday afternoon at the Wright State Softball Field.

A bases-loaded throwing error with no outs led to the game-tying and game-winning runs scoring in the first game while Haley Keller drove home a pair of runs with a one-out double to win the nightcap. The victories marked the second and third time that CSU rallied to win a game in the bottom of the seventh and the third and fourth come-from-behind wins this season.

Originally slated to be played at CSU's Viking Field, the doubleheader was moved to Fairborn because of wet conditions in Cleveland with the Vikings remaining the home team in both games. Cleveland State extended its win streak to six games while improving to 12-5 overall and moving into first place in the Horizon League with a 2-0 mark. Wright State drops to 11-15 overall and 1-2 in league play.

"This was a great team effort today," CSU head coach Angie Nicholson said. "It was the same situation in both games. We got down early but we never gave up and we didn't hang our heads. I never got the feeling that we were out of it and when the seventh inning came around we became very disciplined and focused on getting runners on base.

"Amanda (Macenko) did a great job in both games today. It was windy and cold yet she stayed focused all afternoon. Wright State is known for hitting the long ball and Amanda hung a couple of pitches that they took advantage of. They were her only mistakes."

Macenko threw all 14 innings in the doubleheader, allowing six runs (four earned) on a total of 14 hits. She struck out 15 and walked just one in improving to 9-4 on the season.

Playing in chilly weather conditions with a temperature in the low 40's, the Vikings fell behind in the opener when Wright State's JhericaWilliams blasted a two-run homer to left with one out in the top of the first.

The Vikings would get a run back in the bottom of the inning when Christa Coppus, who would get four hits in the doubleheader, walked with one out. Jessica Burt followed by being hit by a pitch and with two outs, Coppus scored on a single by freshman Katelyn Ciminelli but Burt was thrown out at third base on the play.

Neither team would score again until the fifth. Wright State extended its lead to 3-1 when Jamie Perkins hit a solo homerun to left-center with one out. CSU got the run right back when Coppus doubled to left center to score Danielle Young with one out. The rally however ended as Burt struck out and Keller grounded out to short, stranding runners at second and third.

With the Vikings trailing 3-2 going into the bottom of the seventh, Natalie DeMatteis opened the inning by beating out an infield single to short. Andrea Nagy ran for DeMatteis, advancing to second on a wild pitch. Young followed with an infield single to third but Nagy could not advance. CSU then loaded the bases when Whitney Willard was hit by a pitch.

"The first three batters did a great job of focusing during their at-bats because any of them could have gone the other way," Nicholson said.

Coppus then ended the game by hitting a sharp ground ball to second that Riader Justine Shilt cleanly fielded and elected to ignore a double play possibility and throw home to get the lead runner. Her throw was low and down the line and catcher Jherica Williams could not get a glove on it allowing both Young and Willard to score as it bounced off the backstop and down the line.

The nightcap took a slightly different feel as CSU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Willard led off with a single and Coppus followed with a single to right. Willard, who attempted to take third on the play, was allowed to score when Mollie Berry's throw from short right field went over the head of third baseman Louie Haney and out of play.

Both players made ammends in their next at-bats to give Wright State a 3-1 lead. Bridget Henry opened the top of the second with a single to center and then came around to score on a two-run homer to center by Berry. Haney opened the top of the third with a double to left center and came around to score on a single by Williams.

The Viking bats would be silent until the bottom of the sixth when Keller, who had opened the inning with a walk, scored on a two-out single by Young. CSU had a chance to do some more damage, but Willard struck out to strand runners at first and second.

The comeback would continue however in the seventh as Coppus opened the frame by being safe on an error by Haney, the fifth error of the game by Wright State. Coppus was sacrificed to second by Jessica Burt and then advanced to third on a single by Lia Gordon. Christina Stoffer pinch ran for Gordon and promptly stole second. Keller followed by hitting a line drive double into the gap in right center with both Coppus and Stoffer scoring easily to end the game.

"Haley really got ahold of the pitch," Nicholson said. "She saw it all the way and drove it into the gap. Wright State didn't have a play on it."

The two teams will play the series finale on Sunday beginning at 12:00 noon at the WSU Softball Field.