April 1, 2006

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

Indianapolis - Base-running gaffs, interference calls and a lack of timely hitting proved to be a pitfall for the Vikings in doubleheader action at Butler on Saturday, as Cleveland State dropped a pair of games to the Bulldogs, 5-0 and 5-2.

The Viking offense sputtered when they had their chances, as CSU (1-18, 0-5 Horizon League) was able to move runners into scoring position but incapable of bringing them across.

Butler left-hander Bryan Bokowy gave up eight hits but kept the Vikings off the scoreboard as the Bulldogs (11-12, 5-3 HL) claimed the first game of the day, 5-0. A strong pitching effort by sophomore Nathan Schaefer went for naught as the CSU bats were unable to push a run across.

Schaefer was dominant through the first four innings, yielding only an unearned run on two hits, before running into trouble in the fifth and sixth innings. Butler tagged the righty for a pair of runs on three singles in the fifth before tallying two more runs in the sixth. He finished the game with a career-high eight strikeouts.

The Viking had their chances to put some runs on the board, but each time, Bokowy was able to escape.

Cleveland State put runners on first and second with one down in the third on a double by freshman Mike Carney and a walk by junior John Westra. The runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Vasili Pahoulis, but Bokowy worked a strikeout to end the inning and the threat.

CSU also got to Bokowy in the ninth, as sophomore Josh Geric and junior Rich Ranells hit back-to-back one-out singles to put runners on first and second. Sophomore Joe Furner followed with a grounder up the middle and beat the throw to the bag after the shortstop bobbled the ball. Ranells, however, took too big of a turn around second and induced a run-down that eventually erased Geric at the plate.

The inning and the game would come to an end as Bokowy struck out his eight batter of the game for the complete-game win.

The second contest proved to be even more nerve-wracking, as CSU put themselves in numerous scoring situations but coming up empty to fall, 5-2.

Trailing 3-1, the Vikings got their first big scoring opportunity in the fifth, as sophomore Bobby Cash led off with a walk, moved to second on a ground-out and touched third on a single by Westra. Senior Steve Chinn worked the count full before striking out swinging with Westra running, but Westra was called out to end the inning and the threat after Chinn interfered with the catcher's throw.

CSU was back at it in the seventh, putting runners on second and third with one down, but was only able to plate a single run on a single by Chinn. The eighth inning featured more of the same, with the Vikings putting a runner on second and one down only to have the runner get doubled off on a line-out to the second baseman.

Left-hander Stephen Procner pitched a gutsy 7.1 innings, holding the Bulldogs to three earned runs while striking out six.

"I was obviously pleased with our pitching and we are making progress from a team point of view," head coach Jay Murphy said, "but Butler was able to take advantage of our mistakes. We must cut down on our mental mistakes like we had in our base-running and situational play if we are to win ballgames."

The Vikings and Bulldogs wrap up the three-game series on Sunday (April 2) beginning at 12:00 p.m. at Bulldog Park.