Toman, Bashak & Gordon Homer To Lead CSU Past Indiana, 8-2
    Vikings Split A Pair Of Games At USF Under Armour Showcase
    Megan Bashak hit her first home run of the season vs. Indiana

    Megan Bashak hit her first home run of the season vs. Indiana

    March 13, 2010

    Final Stats

    Contact: Brian McCann

    TAMPA, Fla. - Dara Toman drove in three runs and Megan Bashak added a pair as the Vikings split a pair of games at the USF Under Armour Showcase, defeating Indiana, 8-2, and falling to Jacksonville State, 2-0.

    The split brings the Vikings to 9-7 on the season.

    "Today was a pretty good day, but it could have been better," CSU head coach Angie Nicholson said. "We hit the ball pretty well in the first game, but we couldn't find ourselves in the second game and that was unfortunate.

    "The field was wet and soft because it rained hard yesterday, and that proved to be a problem for both teams. Still, we had our chances and we are going to need to improve on taking advantage of them," Nicholson added.

    The Vikings took control of the Indiana game in the first inning when they jumped on Indiana starter Sara Olson for six runs. With Tess Sito on second, Gaby Gillian reached base on a throwing error by Hoosier second baseman Kristin King, allowing Sito to score. After a Lia Gordon walk put runners at first and second, Dara Toman stroked one-out a two-run double to left center to put CSU ahead, 3-0.

    Toman scored when she beat the throw home from second base on a ground ball by Katelyn Ciminelli. Megan Bashak capped the rally off when she hit a two-run home run to left field. It was the first of the year for the Viking sophomore and put CSU ahead, 6-0.

    Indiana scored a run in the second when Viking pitcher Amanda Macenko was called for an illegal pitch with two outs, allowing Cassie Gogreve, who was at third, to score.

     

     

    "Amanda doesn't throw illegal pitches, but she and every other pitcher in this tournament, were called for them today. It definitely hurt us," Nicholson said.

    The Hoosiers would not score again until the sixth when Amanda Wagner led off with a solo home run to left field.

    The Vikings did the Hoosiers one better in the seventh when Toman and Gordon led off the inning with back-to-back home runs. It was the fourth of the year for Toman while Gordon's second home run of the year raised her career total to 19, two shy of Amy Jauert's school record of 21.

    Macenko was solid in the circle, scattering seven hits in six innings to improve to 7-6 on the season. She allowed just two runs (one earned), striking out eight and walking one.

    "Amanda threw pretty well and didn't let the issue of the illegal pitches being called get into her head. She seemed to get tougher and tougher as the game went on," Nicholson said.

    The nightcap proved to be a pitching duel as Jacksonville State's Hilary Phillips allowed just one hit, a one-out line drive single by Tess Sito in the first, as JSU claimed a 2-0 decision.

    The Gamecocks scored solo runs in the second and third innings.

    An illegal pitch led directly to the first run of the game in the second when with runners at second and third and two out, Meredith Sellers was allowed to score when Macenko was called for her fourth illegal pitch of the day. To add injury to insult, Tess Echols ended up striking out to end the inning.

    With one out in the third inning, JSU strung together three straight singles, the last by Nikki Prier that allowed Chrissy O'Neal to score to make it 2-0.

    The Vikings would get five walks in the game, advancing runners to second base in the third, fourth and sixth innings, but could not advance them any farther as Phillips controlled the game in the circle.

    "She did a really nice job," Nicholson said. "We only struck out a couple of times, but what she did was move the ball around and hit her spots well. By doing so, she kept us off balance and we never really got a good swing on a ball. We would hit the ball up on the handle or just hit it enough to send a slow roller It was very frustrating.

    Phillips struck out three and walked five in seven innings to improve to 4-2 on the year. Macenko, who had won for the 87th time in her career in the opener, was the hard-luck loser, allowing two runs on seven hits. She struck out nine and walked none.

    Cleveland State will close play in the tourney with an 11:15 a.m. meeting with Temple on Sunday (March 14) before heading to Kissimmee, Fla. to conclude its spring trip by playing eight games in five days at the Rebel Games.