From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
The Case Western Reserve University baseball team celebrated its 'Senior Day' with an 11-7 win over the University of Chicago at Nobby's Ballpark in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday. A second game scheduled for Saturday between the two teams was postponed due to weather, and will be made up on Sunday as a part of a doubleheader starting at 11:00 a.m.
The win was the second-straight for the Spartans, who improved to 27-10 on the season. Chicago dropped to 26-11 with Saturday's loss.
The Spartans' offense pounded out 15 hits in the game, including a three-for-five day at the plate for senior designated hitter Danny Souza with a double, two runs, and an RBI. Junior second baseman Rocco Maue added a three-for-five day with two doubles, two runs and a stolen base, and junior catcher Tyler Wypiszenskiwent two-for-five with a double, a triple and two RBIs. Senior third baseman Alex Capetillo and freshman shortstop Jacob Lotteach drove in a pair of runs on Saturday as well.
The Spartans broke through for six runs off Chicago starter Brenton Villasenor in the top of the second inning, sending 10 batters to the plate in the frame. With one out, Souza singled and Wypiszenski doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Senior leftfielder Dan Watson followed with an infield hit, scoring Souza and giving CWRU a 1-0 lead. Senior rightfielder Nate Glasser would reach on an error by the third baseman, allowing a second run to score, and a sacrifice fly by Lott plated Watson to extend the lead to 3-0. Another error allowed Glasser to score a batter later, and a two-out, two RBI single from Capetillo scored two more runs, putting the Spartans ahead 6-0.
The lead would be enough for junior starter Mark Gross, who allowed just one unearned run on four hits and two walks over six innings, striking out one batter. An RBI single for Lott in the sixth and a two-RBI triple by Wypiszenski in the seventh put CWRU in front 9-1, before a four-run top of the eighth by the Maroons cut the Spartans' lead to four, 9-5.
The Spartans answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by sophomore first baseman Casey McConihe and an RBI double by Souza. Before the team could begin the top of the ninth, a steady rain that had been falling for the second half of the game intensified, forcing a delay. After a two-hour, 17-minute rain delay, the game resumed, and after allowing a pair of unearned runs, sophomore Scott Kutschke closed out the victory in the ninth for CWRU.
Gross earned the win in the game, his second-straight victory, improving to 6-4 on the year. Villasenor took the loss for Chicago, dropping to 4-4 on the campaign.
Prior to the game, the Spartans recognized their six graduating players – Capetillo, Glasser, pitcher Liam Killingstad, pitcher Ben Murphy, Souza and Watson – with a special 'Senior Day' ceremony. The group has helped lead the team to a 101-56 record during their four years on the team, with a UAA Championship earlier this year and an NCAA Championship berth in 2016.