Feb. 12, 2011
Final Stats
Contact: Brian McCann
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The big inning proved to be the difference on Saturday as Cleveland State allowed runs in just three of the 15 frames it played, dropping a 4-2 decision to Loyola and falling, 5-1, to UT-Arlington to finish fourth in championship play at the Best Western Marina Grand Invitational, which was hosted by Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
The losses drop the Vikings to 2-3 on the young season.
"There wasn't much offense going on today," CSU head coach Angie Nicholson said. "When we hit the ball hard, we seemed to hit it right at people and they made the plays. We put the ball in play, but just couldn't find the right spots on the field.
"This was our first weekend out and although I know that we could have done better, I am not disappointed. I know that this team can hit from the top of the order to the bottom and it is just a matter of time before we break out of it.
"The biggest thing this weekend was to get some answers about our pitching rotation and even though the numbers weren't the best, I saw some good things. Like everything else, it is a good starting point.
In the opening game of the day against Loyola, the Ramblers scored all of their runs on a third inning grand slam by Emily Bentley, putting them ahead, 4-1.
CSU had taken a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Dara Toman hit a two-out triple and scored when the Rambler shortstop misplayed a Caila Ferro ground ball.
The Vikings added a run in the bottom of the seventh on a ground ball by Macall Sheppard that scored freshman Ashlee Stolarski but it was not enough as Loyola's Seana Stillson went the distance to pick up the win.
Tess Sito was the loser for CSU (2-1), allowing four earned runs on eight hits, striking out nine and walking three.
UT Arlington had the big hit in the nightcap as Rebecca Collom stroked a three-run homerun as part of a four-run eighth inning as the Mavericks beat the Vikings in extra innings.
UTA took a 1-0 lead when they strung together three hits in the third. CSU answered with a solo homerun by Dara Toman in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game up.
Junior Megan Bashak was sharp in her first career start, allowing one run on three hits in 2.1 innings. Sito relieved her in the third and went the remaining 5.2 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on two hits. She struck out six and walked one but got the loss to drop to 2-2.
Toman was the hitting standout for CSU, going four-for-seven in the doubleheader to raise her average to .294 for the season.
The Vikings will return home to practice this week before heading to Clarksville, Tenn. to take part in the Austin Peay Spring Classic. CSU will face Ball State, Missouri-Kansas City, Belmont and host Austin Peay starting on Saturday (Feb. 19).
