March 29, 2009
Final Stats
Contact: Brian McCann
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Lia Gordon set the CSU record for homeruns in a season and Amanda Macenko recorded her 63rd career victory as Cleveland State rallied in the final three innings to claim a 4-1 over Green Bay on Sunday at Viking Field.
The win gave the Vikings a 2-1 lead in the three games series this weekend, improving to 14-12 overall and 4-2 in Horizon League play. Green Bay slips to 11-11 overall and 1-2 in conference action.
"This was a good win for us," CSU head coach Angie Nicholson said. "We were able to come back from behind and beat a pitcher who had caused us problems the day before. More importantly, we won another league series this year.
The game was a rematch of Saturday's second game in which Green Bay pitcher Amanda Margelofsky out-dualed Macenko, blanking the Vikings on four hits to claim a 1-0 win in eight-innings.
Neither team was able to break onto the scoreboard in the first three innings as pitching and defense dominated play.
The Phoenix took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Alli Rivera hit a two-out since to left to score pinch-runner Andrea Pigeon from third base to put Green Bay ahead, 1-0.
The lead didn't last long as Gordon led off the bottom of the inning by homering to straightaway centerfield to tie the game at 1-1. It was Gordon's ninth home run of the season, breaking Amy Jauert's school record of eight set in 1997,
"Lia just crushed the ball," Nicholson said. "My only worry was that she hit it so squarely and so hard, it never got the high up and only cleared the fence by about a foot.
"I am happy for Lia because she had to deal with an awful lot of problems last year that affected her ability on the field. She persevered however and came back ready to play this season."
The Vikings weren't done. With one out, Mimi Mahon and Natalie DeMatteis hit back-to-back singles with Mahon taking third on a fielder's choice grounder by Amy Powell that forced DeMatteis out at second. Shalyn Adams then came through with a line drive single to center to score Mahon to put CSU ahead, 2-1.
The Vikings added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth.
Katelyn Ciminelli led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Mahon. DeMatteis followed with an infield single, moving Ciminelli to third. Alicia Nichols pinch ran for DeMatteis and Christina Stoffer ran for Ciminelli and the duo promptly executing a double steal with Stoffer scoring and Nichols taking third on a throwing error by Green Bay shortsop Sara Junion. Amy Powell followed by striking out, but the ball was in the dirt, forcing a throw down to first to record the out and allowing Nichols to steal home on the play.
"Our base-running has been a strength this season," Nicholson said. "Like this afternoon, proper execution on the base paths has been a deciding factor in several games."
The 4-1 lead was more than enough for Macenko, who retired the final 10 batters she faced to improve to 11-8 this year. She allowed just one run on four hits, striking out seven with no walks.
Margelofsky lasted just four innings, allowing two runs on five hits before giving way to Samantha Schmeltzer in the fifth, Schmeltzer went the final two innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
The Vikings are home again on Thursday (April 3) when they host Niagara for a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader at Viking Field.
