Clinton, SC-The Cleveland State softball team split its opening games of the Scotsman Invitational as the Vikings fell to Monmouth 4-3 in the first game of the day before rebounding with a 10-0 run rule victory in five innings against Maryland Eastern Shore.
 
In the second game against UMES, the Vikings scored early and often in soundly defeating the Hawks to earn their second victory of the season. Sydney Shammo had a big game at the plate going 2-for-3 with five runs driven in.
 
Cleveland State took the early lead in the bottom of the first as Brooke Albaugh led off by reaching base on a hit-by-pitch. She stole second and Shammo followed with a triple that scored Albaugh. She was retired trying to head for home plate on the play but the hit gave the Vikings the early 1-0 advantage.
 
Cleveland State put three more runs on the board in the bottom of the second as another leadoff baserunner followed by an error on a sacrifice bunt put runners at first and second with nobody out. Following a successful sacrifice, Peyton Mueller-Stenz singled up the middle to score Marley Smith. Later in the inning, Shammo delivered again with a two-RBI single to left field that scored Mueller Stenz and Sophie Spellman to make it 3-0.
 
The Vikings broke the game open in the third scoring six times on three base hits and an error. Cleveland State loaded the bases with one out thanks to two walks and a single. Haley West followed with an RBI single to left to bring the first run home, followed by a Mueller Stenz single to bring home the second run of the inning. Brooke Albaugh followed with a bases-loaded walk for the third run and Shammo then knocked in two more runs on a fielder's choice. The final run of the inning came courtesy of a Delaney Ellis sacrifice fly which made it 10-0 Vikings.
 
The run support was more than enough for Avery Robinson who had a stellar outing in the circle. Robinson struck out 10 batters, a season high, while allowing just two hits and two walks in five shutout innings.
 
In the first game of the day, Cleveland State dropped a tough 4-3 decision to Monmouth. The Vikings had control of the game scoring the first three runs before Monmouth rallied in its final two at bats to come away with the win.
 
Sacrifice flies from Albaugh and Spellman put two runs on the board in the top of the third inning. Albaugh followed in the fifth with a solo home run to left field, her first of the year, to give Cleveland State a 3-0 lead.
 
Monmouth tallied a run in the sixth and three runs in the bottom of the seventh, with the final run coming on a single down the third base line for a walk off win.
 
Cleveland State returns to the diamond tomorrow for two more games against Valparaiso and host Presbyterian College. Live Stats links for both games can be found at csuvikings.com.