May 23, 2008

Final Stats

Contact: Greg Murphy

NILES, Ohio - The 2008 season came to an end for fourth-seeded Cleveland State as the Vikings dropped a 7-4 decision in an elimination game to second-seeded Wright State at the Horizon League Championship on Friday morning at Niles Field.

The loss concludes CSU's season at 22-31, including a 1-2 mark at the league championship. The Raiders improved to 30-22 and advanced to its second elimination game of the day where WSU will face sixth-seeded Valparaiso at 3:00 p.m.

"It's always disappointing to have your season come to an end, but I am proud of the way battled today and never gave up," head coach Kevin Kocks said. "We got behind early, but kept our composure and put together a rally late. This experience will only help our young team as we continue to build the program."

WSU's Jon Durket (7-2) earned the win, going 8.1 innings. He gave up four runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts. Greg Robinson recorded his third save of the season by recording the final two outs.

Dylan Henry went 4.1 innings for CSU before being removed with an injury to his right bicep. He gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits and fanned two.

"Dylan seemed to be getting stronger as the game went out, but his arm hurt to much to leave him in," Kocks said. "He had pitched three innings with the injury and just couldn't go anymore. That was to bad because he had a good outing to that point."

Kyle Bischof went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Brad Buell, Bobby Cash and Josh Geric finished with two hits each. Cash also drove in two.

The Vikings got on the board quickly as Buell ledoff the game with a double and scored on a Cash single. A single by Bischof put runners on the corners with no outs, but Durket struck out the next two batters and got John Foco to flyout to end the threat and hold the Vikings to just one run.

WSU came right back in the home half of the first on an RBI single from Jeremy Hamilton. The Raiders took their first lead of the contest in the third on a sacrifice fly by Justin Parker and RBI triple from Jeff Mercer.

The Raiders then pulled away in the fifth by scoring five runs. Henry got the first batter of the inning on a flyball, but hit R.J. Gundolff and had to be removed from the game with the injury.

From there, WSU pieced together a walk, three straight singles and a sacrifice fly to extend its lead to 7-1.

An RBI single by Bischof in the seventh cut the lead to 7-2 and the Vikings added two more runs in the ninth and sent the tying run to the plate with two outs, but Robinson struck out Adam Heideman to end the game.

CSU finished with 10 hits, while the Raiders amassed 10, including two each from Hamilton, Parker, Mercer and Aaron Fields. Parker and Mercer also drove in two apiece.