CLEVELAND, Ohio - Mackenzie Joecken hit a three-run homer in the seventh to force extra innings and Erica McNew delivered a walk-off RBI single in the eighth inning of game two to help Cleveland State split a doubleheader with UIC on Friday at Viking Field.

UIC won the opener, 10-3, and after a two-hour rain delay between games, the Vikings earned a 9-8 win in eight innings in the nightcap.

CSU, which was playing its first League games of the season, is now 8-19 this year and 1-1 in the Horizon League, while UIC is 18-11 overall and 4-1 in league play.

The Vikings took a 5-0 lead in the second game with five runs in the second inning. Susan Knight drew a bases loaded walk that scored Kait Gairing and Riley Ries followed with a grand slam. It was Ries' second home of the year, both grand slams.

UIC answered with two runs in the third, two more in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the sixth and another in the seventh to take an 8-5 lead.

The Flames retired the leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh, but McNew followed with a single and Alyson Broschk doubled to rightfield, moving McNew to third. Joecken followed with a three-run homer to rightfield, tying the game at 8-8 and forcing extra innings.

The first two UIC batters were retired in the eighth and after a double by Skylee James, Joecken retired Savannah Soppet on a grounder to shortstop to end the threat.

Katelind Phillips drew a one out walk in CSU's half of the eighth and Knight followed with a single to centerfield. After a Ries fielder's choice retired Phillips at third base, McNew drilled the game-winning, walk-off single to centerfield that scored Knight.

CSU had 10 hits in game two, including two each by Ries, McNew and Joecken.

Kristin Catalano earned the win (1-0), working the last two innings and striking out four. Macy Kaisk started and worked six innings, fanning eight.

In the opener, UIC scored four runs in the first inning, but the Vikings answered with three runs as McNew drew a bases loaded walk and Broschk and Mel Woodard had RBI groundouts.

It stayed that way until the Flames plated four runs in the fifth to take an 8-3 lead and UIC added two more runs in the sixth to extend the lead to 10-3.

Elaine Heflin limited the Vikings to just four hits in game one.

The teams will play the series finale on Saturday (April 2) at 12:00 pm.