Cleveland State Defeats Valparaiso, 1-0, in the Eighth Inning of Game 3

CLEVELAND - No. 1 Cleveland State (43-13) moves past No. 4 Valparaiso (33-20), 1-0, in Game 3 of the 2010 Horizon League Softball Championship.  The Vikings advance to Game 7 and play the winner of No. 6 Butler and No. 2 Wright State.  The Crusaders slide to Game 5 and face off against No. 3 UIC.

After seven innings of scoreless play, Cleveland State used an RBI single from catcher Amy Powell in the bottom of the eighth to claim the 1-0 victory.  All-League second-team outfielder Jessica Burt led the way for the Vikings going 2-for-4, including one double.  Burt now holds the school record for doubles in a season with 17.  Sophomore Megan Bashak scored the game’s lone run and notched also tallied a hit.

Both squads displayed outstanding performances from their starting hurlers.  League Pitcher of the Year Amanda Macenko tallied a complete-game shutout, yielding just three hits, zero runs and striking out 10 Valpo batters.  Crusader sophomore Alex Lagesse picked up the loss, but held her own from the mound. Lagesse struck out seven hitters, allowing just seven hits through 7.2 innings.

In Game 4 of the Horizon League Softball Championship, No. 2 Wright State takes on No. 6 Butler in the final game of day.  Butler defeated No. 3 UIC, 4-1, during the first round in a game that went 11 innings.