Clinton, SC-The Cleveland State softball team was on the right and wrong end of a walk-off victory on the second day of the Scotsman Invitational. The Vikings split their final two games of the weekend with a 9-8 victory over Valparaiso in the first game and a 2-1 loss in extra innings to host Presbyterian. Cleveland State finishes the tournament at 2-2 and is now 3-10 overall.
 
In the first game of the day the scoring started early and continued throughout the game as the two teams combined for five runs in the first inning. Valpo got on the board first with a two-RBI single in the top of the first before the Vikings responded with three in the bottom half. Cleveland State put runners at second and third with one out setting up Emma Gilkerson for a sacrifice fly which brought home Brooke Albaugh. Kylie Gorsuch followed with a two-run home run that brought home her and Delaney Ellis to give CSU the 3-2 lead.
 
Cleveland State added a run in the second by stringing together three hits, the third coming off the bat of Marley Smith which was an RBI double that scored Ellis to make it 4-2 Vikings. Cleveland State added three more runs in the fourth on four hits, with two going for extra bases. Haley West led off the inning with a solo home run and Ellis tripled to left field later in the inning which brought another run home. When it was all said and done Cleveland State led 7-2.
 
Cleveland State carried an 8-2 lead into the final inning as Katie McDonald threw five consecutive shutout innings after giving up the two runs in the first and appeared to have the game well in hand. Valparaiso did not go quietly in the seventh as the Beacons struck for six runs on six hits and McDonald exited the game without recording an out in the final frame. Avery Robinson entered and retired three of the four batters she faced including two strikeouts to shut the door and keep the game tied at eight headed to the bottom of the seventh.
 
That set the stage for heroics in the bottom of the seventh as Smith led off with a single and was sacrificed to second base. West then moved her over to third with a groundout. Peyton Mueller Stenz was the hero as she singled down the left field line to bring Smith home with the winning run.
 
The second game of the day was the opposite of the first as both pitchers brought their best stuff. Cleveland State's Robinson and Presbyterian's Kasey Wolfe held both offenses scoreless through seven full innings. The two teams combined for just seven total hits in regulation.
 
In the eighth the Vikings broke through first as Marley Queen was placed on second as the courtesy runner to start the inning. She advanced to third on a groundout and a Mueller Stenz single brought Queen home to make it 1-0 CSU.
 
In the bottom of the inning a leadoff walk plus the courtesy runner put runners at first and second. The runners were sacrificed to second and third which set up Presbyterian's Mallory Fletcher who doubled to right field bringing both runners home and ending the game in walk-off fashion.
 
Robinson went the distance in the circle going seven and one third innings allowing six hits and one earned run. She struck out seven and walked just two.
 
The Vikings will next compete at the Murray State Invitational which is set to begin on Friday, March 7.