May 29, 2004

Seven-Run Fifth Sends Vikings To Win Over UIC

    Niles, Ohio - A seven-run fifth inning led the Vikings to a 12-8 win over UIC in the consolation bracket of the Horizon League Championship on Saturday evening, lifting Cleveland State into Sunday's championship game against Youngstown State. The Vikings and Penguins will open the championship game at 12:30 p.m. at Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio.
  With the Vikings trailing by four entering the fifth inning, the Vikings scored seven times in the fifth, highlighted by Marc Sikora's three-run home run. Gary Ball opened the inning by getting hit by a pitch and moved to second on an error by UIC pitcher Marcus Goodman. Ryan Dukovich walked to load the bases, and Brian Lombardi hit a fielder's choice, scoring Ball from third with Dukovich being forced out at second. Steve Chinn then singled through the left side, scoring Smith and moving Lombardi to second. After Cory Rojeck flied out to left, Doug Besozzi then singled up the middle, scoring Lombardi and moving Chinn to second. Dominic Erney singled to left, scoring Chinn and setting up things for Sikora's blast off the back wall of the bullpen in right field.
    UIC got a pair of runs back in the bottom half of the inning, but the Vikings tallied one run in both the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth, Dukovich singled up the middle to lead off, the moved to to second on a bunt single by Lombardi. Chinn's single to right moved Dukovich to third, where he scored on a double-play ground ball by Rojeck.
    In the seventh, Erney led off the inning with a triple down the right field line and scored on a two-out single by Ben Smith.
    The Flames closed the gap in the bottom of the seventh with two runs to cut the lead to 9-8. Cleveland State then got some breathing room with three runs in the ninth. Dukovich and Lombardi drew two-out walks. Steve Chinn the rapped a double off the wall over the head of left-fielder Mike Hughes, scoring Anthony Hurley, pinch-running for Dukovich, and Lombardi. Chinn then scored on a single to left by Rojeck.
    Chinn, who missed the season series with UIC due to a separated shoulder, went 4-for-6 with two runs scored and three batted in to pace the offense. Besozzi and Erney both added three hits for CSU. Ochwat worked six innings, allowing six runs, three of them earned, on eight hits, for his third win of the season. Gian Testa came on for the final three innings, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out four.
    The Vikings will now face Youngstown State on Sunday afternoon for the right to advance to the NCAA Tournament. With the tournament's double-elimination format, the Vikings would need to defeat the Penguins twice on Sunday, while a single Youngstown State win would send the Penguins to the NCAA Tournament. The first game on Sunday will start at 12:30 p.m., while a second game, if necessary, would start 30 minutes after the end of the first game.