Fort Wayne, IN-The Cleveland State softball team continued its winning ways as the Vikings earned a 5-4 win over Purdue Fort Wayne in the opener of a three-game road series on Tuesday. The win makes it nine straight for CSU who remains atop the Horizon League standings at 14-2. Purdue Fort Wayne is 8-5 in league play.
 
Momentum changed hands throughout the game as the Vikings took an early lead, saw that lead disappear and then used some late-inning heroics to come out on top.
 
Cleveland State scored three times in the first inning thanks to a hit and three PFW errors. Brooke Albaugh was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and advanced to second on a throwing error. She later scored when a sacrifice bunt attempt led to another throwing error to make it 1-0 Vikings. Later in the inning a sacrifice fly from Peyton Mueller Stenz brought home Sydney Shammo and Delaney Ellis scored on the same play thanks to another Mastodon throwing error.
 
Purdue Fort Wayne got a run back in the bottom of the first and added three more over the next four frames. Four unanswered runs gave the Mastodons a 4-3 lead at the end of four innings of play.
 
Cleveland State struck back in the top of the fifth as Albaugh once again reached base to lead off the inning, this time with a single to center field. She was sacrificed to second and later scored on an RBI single by Ellis to tie the score at 4.
 
The next three half-innings went 1-2-3 with neither team able to create an offensive threat. Headed to the final inning the score remained tied at 4 apiece. Haley West led off the top of the seventh with the hit that proved to be the difference, a solo home run over the left field wall that gave the Vikings a 5-4 lead.
 
Melissa Holzopfel ensured there would be no drama in the bottom of the inning as she set down Purdue Fort Wayne 1-2-3 to seal the victory. Holzopfel went the distance and struck out 15 batters while not surrendering a walk. She improved to 13-5 on the season and 12-1 in conference play. Her 15 punchouts is a new season best and ties her career mark.
 
Albaugh reached base in three of her four plate appearances with a hit and two runs scored. Shammo went 2-for-3 with two singles and a run scored. West's home run was the lone extra-base hit of the game for the Vikings.
 
The two teams will meet again tomorrow to close out the series with a doubleheader scheduled for a noon first pitch. Live stats coverage will be available for both games.