Sikora's blast leads Cleveland St.

The Boardman native directed the Vikings into today's championship game.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Former Boardman High standout Marc Sikora belted a three-run home run in Cleveland State's seven-run, fifth-inning rally, and the Vikings held off Illinois-Chicago 12-8 to advance to the Horizon League Tournament's championship game today.
The Vikings (19-32) will face Youngstown State, the tournament's No. 7 seed and the only unbeaten team remaining in the tournament. Game time is 12:30 p.m. and a second game, if necessary, will be held 30 minutes after the first.
Long ball
Sikora, a freshman, drilled a shot into the UIC bullpen to drive in the final three runs of the big fifth-inning rally.
The Vikings trailed 4-0 before taking the lead with the big rally. They only led by a run going into the ninth inning, 9-8, when they rallied for three more runs to ice the victory as Steve Chinn, who had four hits, drilled a two-run double to highlight the inning.
The Vikings' only defeat in the tournament came at the hands of Youngstown State, 7-3 on Friday morning.
Sikora was excited about the home run, but more excited about playing YSU for the title.
"I went up there just looking for a good pitch and he [Marc Goodman] got one a little up in the strike zone and I just nailed it," Sikora said.
How does he feel about playing YSU in the championship game?
"It feels great and I really want to beat them," he said.
Battle of Ohio
Today's final will mark the first time that two Ohio teams have met for the championship in the history of the Horizon League.
Cleveland State coach Jay Murphy was pleased with his team's effort, but knows his team still needs to win two games today.
"When you come this far along, you know that you just have to gut it out from here," Murphy said. "We should have all but a couple of arms available so we should be OK."
Illinois-Chicago, the defending tournament champion and the No. 1 seed this year, finished the season with a 35-21 record, the only team in the Horizon League with a winning overall record.