From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Case Western Reserve University, ranked 22nd in Division III, began a season-ending four game home stand with a 6-5 win over John Carroll University at Nobby's Ballpark in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday afternoon.
The win put an end to a four-game losing streak for the Spartans, who improved to 26-10 on the season, while John Carroll dropped to 20-16 with the loss.
CWRU fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first, but answered back in the bottom of the frame to take the lead. With one out, junior second baseman Rocco Maue walked and senior leftfielder Alex Capetillo followed with a single, with both moving into scoring position on a double steal. Freshman first baseman Benjamin Stawicki drove them both in with a base hit through the left side, extending his hitting streak to seven games and giving the Spartans a 2-1 lead.
CWRU added a run in the second, when senior right fielder Nate Glasser scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore centerfielder Samuel Neal. The Blue Streaks tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the third, but an RBI single for freshman designated hitter Jake Ryan in the bottom of the third scored Capetillo, and gave CWRU the lead back, 4-3.
Junior third baseman Jacob Kucia led the fourth inning off with a double, and came around to score on a base hit by Neal, extending the lead to 5-3. John Carroll pulled back within one in the sixth, scoring off junior Mark Gross, who made his first relief appearance of the season in the game. However, the Spartans answered back in the bottom of the sixth, when Capetillo made it 6-4 on an RBI double that scored Maue from first base.
Gross would pitch into the bottom of the seventh, before giving way to junior pitcher Corey Brown with two outs and the bases loaded. Brown would get a pop out to end the threat, and retire the side in order in the eighth. The Blue Streaks mounted a rally in ninth, scoring a run after back-to-back hits and a wild pitch. However, with the tying run on second base, Brown struck out Joe Charpentier to end the game.
Gross earned the win in relief, allowing one run on four hits over 3.2 innings of work and improving to 5-4 on the year. Brown picked up his second save of the season, allowing a run on two hits over 2.1 innings.
Capetillo finished the day two-for-three with two runs, a double, an RBI and a walk, raising his batting average to .489 for the season. Ryan and freshman shortstop Jacob Lott each added two hits on Saturday as well. CWRU stole seven bases in the game, including two apiece for Maue, Capetillo and Glasser.
Starting pitcher Kasey Anzelc took the loss for the Blue Streaks, dropping to 0-1 on the year.