Viking opening loss to West Virginia
By Mike Kohuth
Cleveland State’s baseball team opened the 2007 season on Feb.16 with a 5-1 loss against West Virginia in a three game series in Winston Salem, N.C. The Vikings took a 1-0 lead in the seventh inning and quickly fell apart when West Virginia’s offense stepped it up.
In the bottom of the seventh, West Virginia’s Vince Belnome rounded second on a Viking dropped fly ball in left field. Viking pitcher, senior Stephen Procner then threw a wild pitch sending Belnome to third and walking the Mountaineer’s Mark Schmidt. With runners at first and third Austin Markel hit a single scoring Belnome to tie the game 1-1. West Virginia would quickly lead 2-1 after Justin Parks singled bringing home Schmidt. A pitching change had no affect on the Viking defense when West Virginia scored two more runs to close out the bottom of the seventh. In the bottom of the eighth West Virginia sealed the deal with a run on an error.
The Viking’s went onto close out the series against West Virginia 1-2.
The team will travel to Southeast Missouri March 3-4 for a two game series.
On March 6 the Viking’s will head to Ohio University to battle the Bobcats for a 4 p.m. showdown. Schedules, results and Live Stat information can be found at csuvikings.com.