From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
The Case Western Reserve University softball team split its two games at The Spring Games in Clermont, Florida on Tuesday, as the Spartans fell to Heidelberg University 6-5 in extra innings in the first game, but then topping DeSales University 5-3 in the second game.
With the split, the Spartans now stand at 4-2 on the year, while Heidelberg improves to 3-2 overall and DeSales drops to 6-5 on the season.
Game 1: Heidelberg 6, CWRU 5 (10 innings)
The Student Princes took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Spartans were able to quickly even the score the following inning as senior Ilissa Hamilton hit a RBI single up the middle that scored sophomore Liv Thomas.
CWRU took the lead in the top of the third when senior Nicole Carty hit a RBI double to left field that scored junior Dusstyn Reynolds. Heidelberg answered back in the bottom of the fifth with a RBI single that evened the game at 2-2.
Carty gave the Spartans the lead once again in the top of the seventh when she launched her first home run of the season, a two-run shot, over the left center field. However, the Student Princes were able to tie the score at 4-4 with two runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh.
In extra innings, the Spartans struck quickly as Hamilton hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored first-year Amanda Riely from third. Heidelberg responded in the bottom half of the eighth with a RBI triple that evened the game at 5-5. The Student Princes claimed the walk-off victory in the bottom of the tenth after a RBI single that went through the right side of the infield.
Hamilton started and went five inning for the Spartans. Carty and junior Sidney Brannam combined for four innings in relief, with Brannam taking the loss and dropping to 1-2 on the season.
The Spartans collected 11 hits in the game, including a three-for-four performance from Carty. Reynolds collected two hits, while Hamilton went one-for-three with two runs batted in.
Game 2: CWRU 5, DeSales 3
In the second game of the day, the Spartans struck first when Carty hit a RBI groundout in the bottom of the first that scored junior Sarah Miller from third. CWRU continued to add to their lead in the third inning when Reynolds hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored junior Sydney Wagner.
The Spartans added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, including RBI singles from Riely and senior Melissa Cuellar, and a RBI fielder's choice from Reynolds. The Bulldogs scored three runs in the top of the seventh, but CWRU was able to hold on for the 5-3 victory.
Brannam started the second game, and went four scoreless innings as she allowed zero hits and struck out one batter. She earned the victory and moved to 2-2 on the season. Carty pitched 2.1 innings of relief, while Thomas closed out the game by getting the last two outs to earn the save. The save was the first of her career.
At the plate, Miller went one-for-two with one run scored and one triple, while junior Hope Yashnik also went one-for-two with a run scored and a walk.