Softball Holds on for 4-3 Win Over Cleveland State in Horizon League First Round

Thursday, May 10

Cleveland, OH

9:00 AM

Wright State University

22-33

Cleveland State

29-13

Wright State

Cleveland State

Softball Holds on for 4-3 Win Over Cleveland State in Horizon League First Round

5/10/2007 12:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: WSU Athletic Media Relations

For the second straight year, the Wright State softball team pulled off a surprise in the opening round of the Horizon League Tournament as the #7 seed Raiders jumped out to a 4-1 advantage and then held off #2 seed Cleveland State down the stretch for a 4-3 win over the Vikings Thursday morning at CSU's Viking Field.

Cleveland State tallied a run in the first on an Amanda Houchin RBI single and it stayed that way until the Raiders came to bat in the third. Malerie Klingler led of with a hit up the middle and advanced to third as Briauna Birl grounded out and Michelle Logan reached on an error. Kristen Bradshaw knocked in Klingler with a single to left and went all the way to third with Logan scoring as the ball got away from the Viking left fielder for a two-base error. Jherica Williams followed with a hit up the middle to make it 3-1.

The Raiders added what turned out to be the decisive run in the fifth. Bradshaw started the inning with a walk, went to second as a bunt attempt by Williams was thrown into center and headed to third on a Jamie Perkins sacrifice. Kristen Farley then hit a fielder's choice grounder along the third base line that plated Bradshaw with Wright State's fourth run.

Raider starter Allison Cox (14-13) allowed just two hits over three innings after giving up the run in the first, but ran into trouble in the fifth as Cleveland State scored twice and had runners on first and second with one out. Perkins, though, came on for Cox at that point and preserved the lead by retiring Michele Penney on a comebacker to the circle and Sarah Milosek on a fly ball to right.

That turned out to be the final threat of the game for CSU (29-13) as Perkins earned her second save of the year by retiring the side in order in both the sixth and seventh. She and Klingler also led the way for the Raiders offensively with two hits.

With the win, Wright State has now been victorious nine of its last 10 games played at Viking Field dating back to the Raiders winning the 2003 Horizon League Championship.

WSU takes a 22-33 mark into the winner's bracket semifinal against Butler on Friday at 9 a.m. Should the Raiders win, they would face the winner of the other winner's bracket semifinal between UIC and Loyola on Friday at 6 p.m. If Wright State falls to the Bulldogs, they would take on the winner of Youngstown State and Detroit in the loser bracket Friday at 1 p.m.