From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
The Case Western Reserve University softball team opened conference play with a 9-8 extra-winning victory over 23rd-ranked Emory University on Friday afternoon at Mather Park. Game two of the doubleheader has been suspended until tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. due to insufficient daylight. The doubleheader originally scheduled for tomorrow will follow a rolling schedule and start after the suspended game finishes.
The victory extended the Spartans winning-streak to three games, improving 8-5 overall and 1-0 in the UAA. The Eagles fell to 15-8 overall and 0-1 in the conference.
Game 1: CWRU 9, Emory 8 (8 inn.)
Case Western Reserve opened up the scoring in the early contest, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first with RBI's from junior Maren Waldner and senior Annie Wennerberg.
The Eagles responded in the following inning with three runs, putting Emory ahead 3-2. The Spartans answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs on a wild pitch and a throwing error by the catcher. CWRU added one more in the third when freshman Melissa Cuellar hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Wennerberg from third, giving the Spartans a 5-3 lead.
Emory broke out in the top of the fifth with five runs to retake the lead at 8-5.
The Spartans rallied in the bottom of the seventh with three runs to tie the game at 8-8. CWRU scored their runs via a RBI double from Waldner, RBI single from freshman Nicole Carty and an RBI groundout from Cuellar.
Wennerberg held the Eagles scoreless in the top half of the eighth, before the Spartans would have their chance to win it in the bottom of the inning.
Sophomore Nicole Doyle started the Spartan-rally in the bottom of the eighth with a walk, followed by a double from Tritchler. Waldner then stepped to the plate and delivered the game-winning RBI single, as Doyle beat the tag at home plate to give the Spartans a walk-off victory.
Waldner finished the game three-for-five with three runs batted in, including the game-winning RBI. Wennerberg added a two-for-two performance with one RBI and two walks.
Wennerberg started the game on the mound, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits while striking out four and improved to 6-2 with the victory. Junior Katie Dzierwa pitched 2.2 innings of relief and didn't allow a run on three hits, while striking out two batters.
Game 2: Suspended until Tomorrow
The second game of the doubleheader was suspended due to insufficient daylight. The game will resume tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., picking up where it left off in the bottom of the fifth inning.