April 26, 2008

Game 1 Stats
Game 2 Stats

Contact: Greg Murphy

LORAIN, Ohio - Cleveland State got back to .500 for the season, but it was only for a few hours as the Vikings split a doubleheader with Youngstown State to take two of three from the Penguins this weekend at The Pipe Yard. The Vikings won the opener, 9-8 and fell in game two, 9-7.

CSU improved to 19-20 overall and 9-7 in the Horizon League, while YSU is now 17-25 overall and tied for third place in the league with CSU (9-7).

"We had a pretty good weekend, but I feel that we easily could have earned a sweep," head coach Kevin Kocks said. "Out bats really picked us up at times with key hits, but our defense really let us down and gave them some unearned runs. We have another tough week ahead of us and need to stay mentally focused heading to Akron and Pittsburgh."

In the opener, the Penguins scored a pair of runs in the third inning to open up a 2-0 advantage. However, the Vikings came back with three runs in the fourth and three more in the sixth to take a 6-2 lead.

Kyle Bischof connected for his seventh homer of the season, a two-run shot, in the fourth, while Tom Carter had an RBI single and Brad Buell an RBI triple in the sixth.

After the Penguins came back with a single tally in the seventh on an RBI single by Sean Lucas, CSU responded with a pair of runs as John Brown hit a sacrifice fly to score Alex Kerins and Bischof scored on a balk to extend CSU's lead to 8-3.

However, the Penguins rallied with three runs in the eighth by sending eight men to the plate. YSU added two more in the top half of the ninth to knot the game at 8-8. Cory Hornyak drove in the tying run with a two-out, two strike bloop single to shallow rightfield.

The Vikings wasted little time in the home half of the ninth to score the winning run as Kerins led off the inning with a double just to rightfield. Bischof followed with a bunt that was popped up in front of the pitchers mound, just out of the reach of YSU's Craig Gillett who made a diving attempt to catch the ball off the mound.

After it got by Gillett, Lucas tried to throw Bischof out at first base, but his throw sailed over the head of first baseman Anthony Munoz allowing Kerins to score the game-winning run from second base.

Bischof finished the opener 3-for-5 with a pair of runs and two RBI, while Buell went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Kerins, Brown and Bobby Cash had two hits apiece.

Drew Fronczek (3-2) earned the win by recording the final two outs of the ninth innings. Starter Brian Long went 7.1 innings, giving up six runs (four earned) on 11 hits with three strikeouts.

Gillett gave up a run on two hits, taking the loss and falling to 0-2. Corey Vukovic started and went six innings. He surrendered six runs on 11 hits and fanned two.

Eric Marzec went 3-for-4 with two runs in game one, while Josh Page, Lucas and Hornyak all drove in two runs.

The nightcap belonged to YSU starter Aaron Swenson, who fired a complete-game to earn the win and improve to 4-2. He struck out 10 batters, allowing 12 hits and seven runs.

The Penguins spotted Swenson a quick 5-0 lead with a run in the first and two runs in both the second and third innings. However, CSU came right back with a three spot in the third on a three-run homer by Kerins. He finished 2-for-5 in game two.

The Vikings grabbed their first lead of game two in the fourth with three more runs, including a solo homerun by Josh Geric to lead off the inning. Cash and Adam Heideman added RBI singles to give CSU a 6-5 lead.

It would remain that way until the seventh when YSU's Anthony Porter delivered an RBI single to knot the score at 6-6. The Penguins took the lead for good in the eighth when Erich Diedrich laced a two-run double to left center.

Each team scored a run in the ninth with Heideman recording an RBI double for CSU. He finished the nightcap 3-for-4 with a run and two RBI, while Buell had two hits in five at-bats.

Anthony Sambula took the loss for CSU, going 5.2 innings out of the bullpen. He gave up five runs (two earned) on four hits.

The Vikings will be back in action on Tuesday (April 29) when CSU travels to Akron for a 3:00 p.m. contest.