From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Case Western Reserve University freshman Mark Gross threw seven shutout innings to earn the first win of his collegiate career, helping the Spartans to a 7-1 win over Brandeis University at the University Athletic Association Championships in Sanford, Florida on Friday afternoon.
With the win, the Spartans ended a two-game skid, and moved just half a game behind Washington University (Mo.) for first place in the conference with a 4-2 UAA mark. The Bears will face Emory University later in the day on Friday, with an Emory win creating a three-way tie atop the conference with two games remaining in the tournament.
Making his fourth collegiate start overall and his first against an unranked opponent, Gross allowed just three hits and struck out four batters over seven innings of work, failing to walk a batter during the outing. The righty allowed just two Brandeis runners past first base during his time on the mound, needing to throw just 97 pitches during the effort, while improving to 1-2 on the year and lowering his season ERA to 2.92.
The Spartans took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly from junior leftfielder Tony Damiano, and adding a second on a two-out single from junior centerfielder Aaron Cain. Freshman shortstop Rocco Maue extended the lead to 3-0 with an RBI hit in the fifth that plated Cain, and a run-scoring groundout from freshman third baseman Jacob Kucia, coupled with a throwing error, scored Maue and sophomore designated hitter Daniel Watson. A two-RBI single from sophomore second baseman Alex Capetillo in the sixth put the Spartans in front 7-0.
Brandeis scored its only run in the eighth off CWRU reliever Andrew Rossman, who allowed just one hit in his two innings of relief to close out the victory.
Cain finished the game three-for-four with a pair of doubles, raising his batting average to .308 for the year. Damiano added a two-for-three day at the plate with a stolen base.
Case Western Reserve improved to 7-6 overall with the win, while Brandeis fell to 4-5 and to 1-5 at the UAA Championships. Elio Fernandez took the loss for Brandeis, falling to 1-2 overall, with both losses coming against CWRU during the tournament.