From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
After sweeping a doubleheader on Friday against New York University, the Case Western Reserve University baseball team repeated the feat on Sunday, defeating the Violets 11-6 in game one and 11-4 in the second game to complete the four-game sweep at Maimonides Park in Brooklyn.
The Spartans have now won eight of their last nine games to improve to 18-12 overall and to 7-5 in the University Athletic Association. CWRU will enter the final weekend of the UAA schedule in third place in the conference standings. NYU dropped to 12-15 overall and to 5-10 in the UAA following the two losses.
CWRU outscored NYU 46-17 and totaled 61 hits over the four games. Junior third baseman Zack Carinci hit safely in both games to increase his hitting streak to 21 straight contests. Sophomore outfielder Nick Harms finished the day with seven hits over 10 at bats during the two games, including a double, a triple, five runs scored, an RBI, and a stolen base.
Game 1 – CWRU 11, NYU 6
The Spartans overcame an early two-run deficit and took the lead for good with a four-run seventh inning in an 11-6 win over the Violets in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader.
CWRU collected double-digit hits for the third time in the series, outhitting the Violets 13-10. Three Spartans notched three hits in the game, with Carinci, Harms and senior outfielder Trey Haley each going three-for-five with a stolen base. Haley and first-year second baseman Jasiah Harris each drove in two runs in the game and Harms crossed the plate three times in the early affair.
CWRU fell behind 2-0 after sophomore starting pitcher Kyle Gearding allowed single runs in each of the second and third innings but escaped further damage by inducing inning-ending double plays in each frame. Gearding's damage control paid off for the Spartans in the fourth inning when CWRU scored a pair to tie the score at 2-2. Carinci singled with one out in the frame and scored a batter later on a triple by Harms. Haley followed with a game-tying single that scored Harms from third.
Harms singled to open the sixth inning, stole second base, and scored on an NYU error to give CWRU its first lead of the game and an RBI single by junior designated hitter Connor Stephenson increased the Spartans' lead to 4-2. NYU responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs to tie the game, but CWRU took the lead for good in the top of the seventh. Senior shortstop Owen Levinson reached on an error to start the inning and scored on a one-out double by Harris. Carinci followed with a double of his own to score Harris and put CWRU in front 6-4 and scored later in the inning on a single from Haley. A fielder's choice hit into by first-year outfielder Matt Trout scored Harms to increase the CWRU lead to four runs.
NYU trimmed the Spartans' lead to 8-6 with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but CWRU responded again with three in the top of the eighth, including two on RBI groundouts from senior catcher Jack Anderson and Harris, going ahead 11-6.
Junior Patrick O'Connor retired the side in order in the eighth, and, after allowing a one-out single in the ninth, induced the Violets' third double play of the contest to end the game and secure the win for the Spartans.
O'Connor pitched the final three and a third innings out of the bullpen, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 3-1 on the year. Gearding received a no-decision for his effort, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts over five and a third innings.
NYU's Ansel Balmer suffered the loss in relief, dropping to 0-1 for the campaign.
Game 2 – CWRU 11, NYU 4
The Spartans continued their offensive outburst with their third-straight double-digit run effort against the Violets, defeating NYU 11-4 in the second game of the doubleheader to complete the sweep.
CWRU grabbed a lead just two batters into the game after Anderson doubled to lead off the game and scored a batter later with a single by Harris. The Violets tied the game with a run in the bottom of the second, but the Spartans broke the game open in the top of the third, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring eight runs. Sophomore outfielder Jay Smith started the scoring with a bases-loaded triple with one out, and sophomore outfielder Logan Andreyko plated two more with a triple in the next at bat. Senior first baseman Nick Talarico followed with a single to score Andreyko and extend the lead to 6-1. CWRU loaded the bases again and a sacrifice fly by Harris added a run to the total before a two-run double by Carcini gave the Spartans a 9-1 lead by the end of the frame.
NYU pulled closer with a run in the bottom of the third and two more in the sixth. Haley added a run in the eighth with a single that scored Harms and Carinci increased the Spartans' lead to 11-4 with a run-scoring single in the ninth.
First-year Austin McGowan started and allowed just one earned run (two total) on four hits with two strikeouts over four innings. Sophomore Jackson Brewer followed with two innings out of the bullpen, yielding two runs on two hits and two strikeouts, and earned the first win of his collegiate career, improving to 1-0 on the season. Junior Andrew Allen pitched a perfect seventh inning and junior Tyler Horvath retired the final six batters of the game in order to close out the victory.
Harms went four-for-five in the game with two runs scored and a double. Carinci added a three-for-six showing in the game with a run, three RBIs, and a double. Harris was two-for-five with a run, a double, and two RBI, Haley added a two-for-five showing with a run, an RBI, and a stolen base, and Andreyko and Smith each had a hit, a run, and two RBI. CWRU totaled 18 hits, the third most in a game this season.
NYU's Joe Cetale started and was handed the loss to fall to 3-1 on the year.