April 21, 2007
Box Score
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Loyola University Chicago (15-15, 10-2 Horizon) capitalized on some defensive miscues by Cleveland State (19-11, 2-5 Horizon) to sweep a doubleheader from the Vikings this afternoon at Viking Field. With the 6-3 and 2-1 victories, the Ramblers reached 10 wins in Horizon League play for the sixth time in the last seven seasons and senior catcher Raven Gengler became Loyola's all-time leader with 87 RBI.
It didn't take the Ramblers long to break open the contest in game one as they plated five runs on only four hits, thanks to a pair of Viking errors, in the top of the first inning. Gengler's RBI fielder's choice, which gave her the school's all-time RBI record, put Loyola on top as Ashley Mitchell crossed the plate and Ellen Kresl scored on an error. Nora Schober would single home a run and would later score on a double steal further along in the inning to put the Ramblers on top, 5-0.
Cleveland State cut into Loyola's lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, but the Ramblers reclaimed the momentum in the third inning as Kristen Medrud's run-scoring doubles drove in Tara Miller, who had doubled earlier in the frame.
Loyola pounded out 10 hits in the game, half of them being two-base hits. Mitchell, Miller and Kat Krause had two hits apiece to lead the Ramblers' attack and right-hander Krista Crosson scattered seven hits and struck out three en route to the victory.
In the nightcap, Loyola used some late-inning magic to pull out a 2-1 victory behind another strong pitching effort from freshman Amy Solava, who struck out 11 and scattered six hits in the complete-game effort.
Angie Funston's RBI single put the Ramblers on top, 1-0 in the second inning, but Cleveland State tied the game in the third on Christa Coppus' run-scoring triple. The game remained tied until the seventh inning, when with two outs, pinch hitter Lindsay O'Gean drew a walk and promptly stole second base. Schober lifted a pop-up on the infield that Cleveland State was unable to locate in the sun as the ball fell to the ground for a single, allowing the hustling O'Gean to score the winning run.
Funston was 2 for 2 in game two to help the Ramblers reach the .500 mark for the first time this season.
Loyola and Cleveland State wrap up the three-game series with a single contest tomorrow at noon Eastern.
