Sambula Leads Vikings Past Tennessee Tech, 7-2
    Junior Hurls 8 2/3 Innings as CSU Picks Up First Win of Season
    Anthony Sambula

    Anthony Sambula

    Feb. 26, 2010

    Final Stats

     

    Contact: Greg Murphy

    COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Cleveland State junior Anthony Sambula worked 8 2/3 innings, giving up just two runs on eight hits as the Vikings picked up their first win of the season, defeating Tennessee Tech, 7-2, on Friday afternoon at Bush Stadium.

    CSU improved to 1-3 this season, while TTU fell to 2-2.

    "It's good to get the monkey off our back and get our first win and hopefully we can take some of this momentum forward," head coach Kevin Kocks said. "Anthony pitched a great game for us and that's what we needed to save some arms for the weekend. He had great control and location all day."

    Sambula fanned a career-high 10 batters.

    The Vikings gave their left-handed starting pitcher a quick 3-0 lead with three tallies in the first inning. Alex Johnson led off the game and reached on an error before moving to second on Kyle Shaffer's groundout and scoring on Ryan Franks single. Two batters later, Bob Suitca blasted his second homer of the season to provide CSU with the early advantage.

    Sambula faced the minimum through the first three innings, as a key double play in the first inning kept TTU at bay after the leadoff batter singled.

    The Vikings added three more runs in the fifth on a Johnson RBI double, a Shaffer RBI triple and a Suitca RBI single.

    "We've been getting off to some great starts offensively early this season and that is a good sign," Kocks said. "It has allowed our pitchers some room to work and Anthony was able to do that today. Last weekend, we just couldn't close games, otherwise, we could easily be 3-1 or 4-0."

     

     

    TTU scored one in the fifth, but a Franks RBI single scored Johnson in the seventh, giving CSU a 7-1 lead.

    Sambula gave up a solo homer in the eighth to make it 7-2 and went back out for the ninth. After retiring the first batter, the next two batters singled and doubled to put runners on first and second. Sambula struck out the next batter before a walk ended his day.

    "It would have been nice to see him finish the game, but he just ran out of gas," Kocks said.

    Travis Miller came in and recorded the final out.

    Johnson, Shaffer, Franks and Suitca had two hits each and were the only CSU players to get a hit. They also combined for seven RBI and six runs.

    CSU's three-game series at Tennessee Tech continues on Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. EST contest.