From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Senior designated player Gena Roberts (Miami, Fla./Palmer-Trinity) broke the school record for runs batted in with 132 total after recording a career-high five RBIs in the first game and adding two in the second game as the Spartans swept Ohio Wesleyan University 10-2 (five innings) and 6-5 on Saturday afternoon on Senior Day.
The Spartans took an early 5-0 lead after two innings of the first game. In the bottom of the first, Roberts knocked one out of the park, sending in senior rightfielder Ashley Parello (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township). In the second inning, senior second baseman Molly O'Brien (Northbrook, Ill./Loyola) hit a sacrifice fly to score freshman third baseman Christine Scherer (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny Senior). Freshman centerfielder Katie Wede (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) then singled to left field, sending senior catcher Janis Cava (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Dominican) home. Roberts singled to send in Wede with the fifth run.
Though the Bishops scored two in the top of the fourth, the Spartans responded with another run for a 6-2 edge as Scherer fouled out to right field on a sacrifice fly to send Parello to home plate.
The Spartans secured their victory putting four more runs on the board in the fifth inning. Roberts doubled and a single through the right side from senior first baseman Rebecca Taylor (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) brought in the final two runs.
The Spartans were first on the board again during the second game of the afternoon. Roberts, making efforts to move toward the school record of 28 career home runs, hit her 21st career homer to left center to score O'Brien for a 2-0 lead.
The Bishops battled back, scoring four runs in the third inning and another in the fourth to take a 5-2 lead, but the Spartans rallied with a run in the bottom of the fifth as Taylor singled up the middle to score Roberts.
Now down by two, CWRU would score three runs in the bottom of the sixth and hold the Bishops for the win. After a Wede double down the left field line she scored on a wild pitch. Freshman catcher Abi Groseclose (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley) singled to right field and advanced to second on the throw to send in sophomore leftfielder Annie Wennerberg (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake). Freshman pinch-hitter Maren Waldner (Redondo Beach, Calif./Chadwick) singled to score Taylor for the winning run.
