March 11, 2008

Game 1 Stats Game 2 Stats

Contact: Greg Murphy

MOREHEAD, Ky. - After being shutout in Tuesday's opener against Morehead State, Cleveland State came back to post a 5-1 victory in the nightcap to earn a doubleheader sweep in nonconference action.

Morehead State won the opener, 4-0, as both games played today were seven innings.

The Vikings are now 2-6 this season, while Morehead State is 6-4.

"We didn't play well at all in the first game," head coach Kevin Kocks said. "But we had a good talk after that first game and they really came back and played well in the second game. That is the kind of intensity that we need to play with on a daily basis."

The Vikings were limited to just four hits in the opener as they were shutout for the first time this season and the Eagles scored all four of their runs in the second inning as Michael Bottoms led off the inning with a solo homer. Following a strikeout, Trent Hanna reached on an error and advanced to third on a double by Eric Parker.

Both Hanna and Parker came around to score when the next batter, Michael Fear laced a two-run single. Fear came into score two batters later on a JD Brookhart fielder's choice.

That would be all the runs MSU would need as three pitchers combined for the shutout, while striking out eight.

Tyler Bess (1-1) earned the win by working five innings and fanning four. Brian Long (1-1) lasted three innings and took the loss for CSU.

In game two, the Vikings jumped out to a quick lead with three runs in the first inning. Alex Kerins drew a one-out walk, stole second and advanced to third on a single by Josh Geric. Both runners would come around to score on a two-run double from Kyle Bischof, who would later come around to score CSU's third run on a single by Bobby Cash.

The Vikings added two more runs in the fourth on a two-run homer from Kerins, who finished the nightcap with two runs and two RBI. Cash and John Brown finished with two hits apiece in game two.

Sam Suitca (1-2) worked five innings, allowed just one run on nine hits, while striking out four to earn his first win of the season. Drew Fronczek pitched the final two innings and did not allow a hit to lower his ERA to 0.93 this season.

The two teams will conclude their three-game series with a single, nine-inning game on Wednesday (March 12) beginning at 3:00 p.m.