May 28, 2004

Cleveland State Advances Past Butler, 2-1

    Niles, Ohio -- Cleveland State's Steve Chinn hit an RBI double with two out in the top of the ninth to send second-seeded Butler to a 2-1 loss in an elimination game at the Horizon League Championship on Friday night at Eastwood Field.
    The Vikings remain alive to face Saturday's loser between UIC and Youngstown State while the Bulldogs finish the season at 29-30.
    Ryan Dukovich started the decisive ninth with a one-out single up the middle before being lifted for pinch-runner Brian Lombardi. Murphy's move paid off, as after Mike Ochwat flied out, Chinn roped a double to the warning track in left center and Lombardi scored from first. Testa then came on to work a perfect ninth to pick up his sixth save of the year.
    Ball worked out of a jam in the eighth inning, as the Bulldogs loaded the bases on an error, a single and a walk, but Ball got Tony Barnes to ground out to Chinn to end the inning.
    The Vikings scored first in second inning as Marc Sikora doubled down the left field line and scored on Testa's single to right center. Butler would tie the score in the sixth on an RBI single by Jeff Brown.
    Cleveland State remains alive in the tournament along with top-seeded UIC and seventh-seeded Youngstown State. Those two will square off at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, with the loser facing the Vikings at 4:30 p.m. The winner of the second game will advance to face the winner at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday with a berth in the NCAA Tournament on the line.