From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Four home runs split between sophomore pitcher and centerfielder Annie Wennerberg (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake) and freshman designated player and first baseman Grace Tritchler (San Antonio, Texas/Winston Churchill) led the Spartans to a doubleheader sweep of Adrian College 11-6 and 7-5 on Thursday afternoon at Mather Park.
The Spartans have advanced to 28-11 on the season.
Although the Bulldogs hit a home run to start off the game, the Spartans responded with a home run of their own as senior second baseman Molly O'Brien (Northbrook, Ill./Loyola) was first to step to the plate and knocked one out of the park. The Spartans took a 3-1 lead as freshman centerfielder Katie Wede (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) hit a double followed by another double from senior right fielder Ashley Parello (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) to score Wede. Wennerberg hit the third double of the inning to score Parello.
The Spartans extended their lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the second as Wennerberg was walked with bases loaded.
The Bulldogs rallied back for a 5-4 lead, but the Spartans added two in the bottom of the third to get back on top of the scoreboard 6-5 as freshman third baseman Christine Scherer (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny Senior) doubled to right center and would advance to third on a wild pitch. O'Brien was walked and scored along with Sherer after a double by Wede.
The Spartans would score five runs more runs to take a 11-4 that would hold despite a run scored by the bulldogs in the top of the seventh. Senior left fielder Gena Roberts (Miami, Fla./Palmer-Trinity) doubled to left field and would score off a Sherer single through to left center. In the fifth, a Wennerberg single to right field scored two from the field and a single up the middle from Tritchler would score Wennerberg. A sacrifice fly from Wede would secure the victory for the Spartans.
To start the second game, Adrian again was first on the scoreboard, but the Spartans rallied back scoring three runs to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Wennerberg hit her first home run of the game, followed by a Wede single and then the first home run from Tritchler.
The Bulldogs tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the third, but the Spartans took a 5-2 edge after a Scherer single through the left side scored Wennerberg and Tritchler singled to left center for an RBI.
The Spartans added two more runs in the fifth inning as Wennerberg and Tritchler each hit their second home runs of the game. The Bulldogs would score two more runs, but the Spartans were able to clear the field with a 7-5 win.
Senior pitcher Rebecca Taylor (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) pitched all seven innings and faced 29 batters, striking out three. She is the CWRU all-time program leader with 50 career wins on the mound.