April 7, 2004

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

CLEVELAND - Cleveland State's three-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt on Wednesday afternoon as Akron held the Vikings to just five hits en route to winning 2-0 and 3-0. With the doubleheader sweep, the Zips improve to 34-4-2 all-time against CSU.

In the opener, Akron's Tina McCauley struck out 11 and held the Vikings hitless through six innings, before finishing with a two-hitter to improve to 8-7.

Meanwhile the Zips got to CSU sophomore starter Grace Luginbuhl (Lima, Ohio/Bath) in the third inning as the first three batters picked up hits to provide the game's only offense. Luginbuhl fell to 6-7 as she scattered nine hits.

The second contest was nearly a carbon copy of the first, as Akron used two doubles, a single, a walk and a sacrifice in the top of the first inning to push across the only runs of the game. This time it was junior Kortney Spidell (Strasburg, Ohio/Strasburg) who came out on the short end, as she gave up seven hits in going the distance to drop to 2-6.

Megan MacKenzie surrendered just three hits -- two to junior right fielder Michelle Nicholas (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) -- while fanning six to even her record at 5-5.

"We're getting the right people up at the plate at the right time, but we're just not executing," CSU head coach Julie Jones pointed out. "We're so hot and cold offensively -- I don't know if it's a lack of confidence or a lack of experience. Whatever the cause, we need to turn things around this weekend at Wright State."

Cleveland State is in action again this weekend when the Vikings travel to Wright State for a three-game Horizon League series. The teams will play a doubleheader on Friday, April 9 at 3:00, followed by a single contest the next day at 1:00 p.m.