Feb. 28, 2010
Final Stats
Contact: Brian McCann
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Freshman Dara Toman had three hits and drove in three runs, a pair coming on a two-run home run, and Amanda Macenko struck out 11 in registering her 86th career victory, as Cleveland State defeated Sacred Heart, 4-2, on Sunday in the title game of the UNC-G Spartan Classic.
The Vikings went 5-0 in the tourney to improve to 7-3 on the season while Sacred Heart slips to 3-2.
"This was another good game for us, playing in less the ideal weather," CSU head coach Angie Nicholson said. "We did a great job of manufacturing runs. It is always nice when you can get runs on the long ball, but for the most part today, we had to piece things together.
"It was real windy out there and our outfield play today was ugly. We had three or four balls that should have been outs that were misplayed which made the game closer than it should have.
After managing just one on four hits against Sacred Heart pitcher Jaclyn Russell on Friday, the Vikings seemed more at ease at the plate, rapping out seven hits including two for extra bases.
"We didn't looked fooled at the plate today like we did on Friday," Nicholson said. "We didn't try to predict what pitch was coming, instead we stepped to the plate and just hit what was thrown at us.
Playing as the home team, the Vikings got things going in the first when Toman singled to right field to score Gabby Gillilan, who had walked.
Sacred Heart evened the game at 1-1 in the second when Liz Tsipouras reached on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Shannon McCoy.
The game remained tied until the third when Toman hit her second homerun of the season to left field to score Gillilan, who had walked.
The Pioneers got one run back in the fourth to close to 3-2 when Tsipouras hit a solo home run to left. The game could have been even closer as Sacred Heart had runners at second and third with two out but Viking catcher Amy Powell picked off Jessica Di Piazza at third base to end the threat.
"That was a real heads up play by Amy. She timed that perfectly and caught the runner off-guard on the play. That is a good reason why it is important that Amy be in the lineup because she brings that type of defensive skills to the game," Nicholson said.
The Vikings extended their lead to 4-2 in the sixth when CSU loaded the bases with one out. Toman, who had singled to start the rally, scored on a ground ball out by Powell.
That was all CSU needed as Macenko retired the final nine batters of the game to improve to 6-3 on the season. She went all seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits. She struck out 11 and walked just one.
Russell allowed the four earned runs on seven hits, striking out nine and walking two to slip to 1-2 on the year.
Freshman Tess Sito went one-for-three in the game to extend her current hitting streak to nine games. She hit .500 in the five games (7-14) with six runs scored, three RBI, a pair of doubles five walks and five stolen bases.
Toman hit .400 in the tourney, going six-for-15 with five runs scored, a double, two homeruns and a tean-high seven RBI.
The Vikings will continue their non-conference schedule by playing in their third straight tournament, traveling to Huntington, WV to play Kent State, Delaware and host Marshall at the Marshall Holiday Inn-vitational (March 6-7).
