April 5, 2008
Game 1 Stats |
Game 2 Stats
Contact: Brian McCann
CLEVELAND - It was one of those days for Danielle Young on Saturday at Viking Field.
The junior hit what proved to be the game-winning homerun in the nightcap of doubleheader against Butler in a CSU a 3-2 win. That hit came three innings after she misplayed a routine fly ball to center that allowed two runs to score in a 2-0 Butler victory in nine innings.
The split brings CSU's record to 14-8 overall and 3-2 in Horizon League play while Butler drops to 14-14, 3-4.
"This was a disappointing performance," CSU head coach Angie Nicholson said. "We were primed for a sweep today if we had just done the little things right. You have to catch the ball, throw the ball and run the bases to win. We didn't do any of those very well today."
Amanda Macenko threw all 16 innings in the doubleheader for the Vikings, allowing just three unearned runs on nine hits, striking out 14 while walking just one.
She was outstanding in the opener, scattering six hits and striking out 10 without a walk. She did not allow more than one hit in any inning and allowed just one runner past first base in the first eight innings.
The Vikings had a good opportunity to get on the board in the fourth when Christa Coppus and Haley Keller singled, leaving CSU with runners at first and third with two outs.
With Tara Meyer at the plate, Keller got hung up between first and second on a delayed steal and was tagged out before Coppus could break for home.
"That was a play where if we had executed properly, we would have scored a run," Nicholson said. "We needed to draw a throw or two during the rundown at first to allow Christa to make a break for home. We didn't get any throws which left Christa at third."
CSU had another opportunity in the seventh when Amy Powell and Keller singled and advanced to second and third on a one-out sacrifice. Katelyn Ciminelli pinch hit but flew out deep to left to end the inning.
Butler scored its only two runs in the ninth when Alex Boros singled to open the inning. Bridget Paine followed with a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner but was safe when Amanda Kern couldn't handle the throw from Meyer, allowing the runners to advance to second and third.
Macenko got Jenny Jacobs to foul out to third and Lindsay Schluge to strike out swinging and appeared to be out of the inning when Jen Arriagga hit a routine fly to center that Young was all set to catch but at the last second backed away from it, allowing it to drop and both runs to score.
"You have to catch that ball," Nicholson said. "I don't know what more I can say. With the game on the line in extra innings, you have to make that catch. We couldn't have asked for a more routine play."
The Vikings put a runner on in the bottom of the frame but two strikeouts and a fly ball ended the frame.
Nikki Naffziger pitched five scoreless innings in relief to improve to 6-5 while Macenko fell to 9-7.
The nightcap started with both teams committing costly errors in the first inning.
With one out in the top of the inning, Butler's Erin Jackson reached on a fielding error by Macenko. She advanced to second on a ground ball to second and to third on a passed ball before scoring on two-out single by Paine to give the Buldogs a 1-0 lead.
The Vikings got the run right back when Whitney Willard, whose nine-game hitting streak was snapped in the opener, walked. Young followed with a sacrifice bunt to third. Willard, who was running on the play, continued on to third and scored when Alex Boros' throw sailed over the head of third baseman Kelli Hahn.
The Vikings took the lead for good in the third when with two out, Willard was safe on an infield single. Young followed with a two-run blast into the tennis courts in right field to give CSU a 3-1 advantage.
Butler closed to within 3-2 in the sixth when Jen Arriaga, who led off with a pinch hit walk, came around to score on a fielding error by Amanda Houchin. The walk was the first allowed by Macenko in 40.1 innings.
The Bulldogs put a two runners on with two outs in the seventh, but Macenko enticed Arriaga to bounce to the pitcher to end the game.
"It was nice to win the nightcap and even the series, but we need to come out ready to play tomorrow so we can win the finale. We can't afford to lose a game in the Horizon League race."
CSU and Butler will finish the three-game series on Sunday beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Viking Field.
