From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
The Case Western Reserve University softball team split its final two games at the Central Florida Rebel Spring Games at Kissimmee, Florida on Friday, as the Spartans topped Transylvania University 3-0 in extra innings in the first game, and then falling 5-4 to Utica College in the second game.
With the split, the Spartans now stand at 5-5 on the year, while Transylvania drops to 8-5 overall and Utica improves to 4-5 on the season.
Game 1: CWRU 3, Transylvania 0 (8 inn.)
The early game on Friday featured a pitcher's duel between Transylvania's Renae Morton and CWRU senior Annie Wennerberg. Neither team scored until the top of the eighth, when junior Katie Wede hit the go-ahead RBI single to drive in freshman Melissa Cuellar from third.
Freshman Emily Nishiwaki followed by reaching base on an error and then advanced to second after sophomore Nicole Doyle hit into a fielder's choice. Junior Grace Tritchler then stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run RBI double to score Nisiwaki and Doyle.
Wennerberg retired the Pioneers in the bottom of the eight to improve to 4-2 on the season.
Wede had two of the team's seven hits in the first game, including the eighth-inning go-ahead RBI single. Wennerberg went the distance on the mound, allowing zero runs on six hits and one walk, while striking out one batter in the game.
Game 2: Utica 5, CWRU 4
The Spartans got on the board first in the second game of the day, when freshman Callie Wang hit her first collegiate home run in the bottom of the third to put CWRU up 1-0. Utica responded the following inning with a two-run double and an RBI single to give the Pioneers a 3-1 lead.
CWRU answered back in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI triple from freshman Nicole Carty that scored junior Maren Waldner. The score remained 3-2 until the bottom of the fifth when Tritchler drew a bases loaded walk that scored Wang from third. Waldner followed with an RBI single that gave the Spartans a 4-3 lead.
Utica went on to score two runs in the top of the seventh to lead 5-4. The Spartans were unable to plate the equalizer in the bottom of the inning.
Wang led the Spartans offensively as she went two-for two with one home run, one run batted in and one Walk. Nishiwaki also put in a good performance at the plate, as she went three-for-four with one run scored.
Carty started the game and allowed three runs on five hits while striking out three batters. Junior Katie Dzierwa pitched in relief and took the loss, dropping to 0-2 on the year, while Sabrina Stransky collected the win for the Pioneers to improbve to 1-2.