CLEVELAND, OHIO (4/9/19) -- The University of Detroit Mercy softball team took home a pair of wins over Horizon League foe Cleveland State on Tuesday afternoon. 

On the day, Jordan Manno had four hits, three runs and three RBI, Courtney Gilbert had a hit, two RBI and scored a run and Jen Lorenz had a pair of hits. 

DETROIT MERCY 2 – CLEVELAND STATE 0
Ashley Mauser got the start in the circle in game one of the doubleheader and picked up exactly where she left off last weekend versus Youngstown State. 

Lorenz had a pair of singles in the game, but the Titans offense came in the fourth inning when Manno singled through the left side, putting a runner on base for Gilbert. 

Gilbert hit an opposite field home run over the right field fence, putting the Titans up by a score of 2-0. 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Vikings began to push for an answer when they put runners on second and third with no outs. 

Mauser then struck out a batter swinging and the infield turned a 5-3-2 double play to keep a zero on the scoreboard next to CSU. 

The Vikings again threatened to score in the bottom of the fifth, but they found themseleves experiencing some deja vu. Mauser struck out the batter looking and the Vikings hit into a 6-4-3 double play, again ending the threat. 

Two runs and some standup defense was all Mauser needed, as she tossed her third straight complete game shutout, scattering four hits, one walk and seven strikeouts in the game one victory. 

DETROIT MERCY 3 -- CLEVELAND STATE 2
Game two of the doubleheader was a low scoring affair as well, with the first run coming off of a solo shot to center field from Manno in the top of the sixth. 

Liz Murphy pitched a gem in game two, losing a no-hit bid with one out in the bottom of the sixth. She went 6.1 innings, scattering three hits, six strikeouts and one earned run. 

The Vikings knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh, and Mauser came in to collect the last two outs of the inning. She struck out both batters she faced, taking the game to extra innings. 

Lorenz started off the top of the eighth with a walk before Liz Paver came in to replace her as a pinch runner. Piper Roth then laid down a perfect squeeze bunt, advancing Paver to second with only one out. 

After a groundout to the shortstop, the Titans were in danger of threatening, but coming up short. Luckily, Manno ate her Wheaties this morning, and had the strength to power another ball out of the park.

She hit an opposite field two-run home run to right center field, giving the Titans a 3-1 lead in the top of the eighth. 

Things got interesting in the bottom of the eighth when the Vikings put two runners on base with two outs. A single to right field then scored a run, making the score 3-2. 

With two runners on base and two outs, Mauser took care of business once and for all and got the batter to ground out to the shortstop, securing a 3-2 win for the red, white and blue. 


ON DECK
The Titans will finish up their series against Cleveland State with a single game tomorrow versus the Vikings. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. and the game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+.