BECKLEY, W. Va. – Junior centerfielder Paul Pakan (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) totaled six hits, four runs batted-in and five runs scored in his program debut as the Case Western Reserve University baseball team opened the 2012 campaign with a doubleheader sweep of local-rival John Carroll University on Friday afternoon at Linda K. Epling Stadium.

The Spartans outslugged the Blue Streaks 18-6 in the opener and edged out the victory in the nightcap, 6-5.

Pakan, who played two years at Division I George Washington University (D.C.) prior to transferring to CWRU, led the offensive charge in game one, going 4-for-4 with a walk, three doubles, five runs scored and two RBI. Batting cleanup behind Pakan, junior first baseman Brett Ossola (Potomac, Md./Bullis School) was 3-for-5 with a homerun and three RBI.

On the mound, junior left-hander Jamie Hora (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg) threw the first five innings to pick up the win, allowing four earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Freshman Kevin Johnstone (Placentia, Calif./Valencia) and sophomore Ray Kelly (Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas Institute) each tossed two innings in relief without surrendering an earned run.

In the nightcap, Pakan was 2-for-3 with two more doubles, a pair of walks and two RBI. Ossola also drove in a pair with a single.

Junior southpaw Jarrett Gish (Jupiter, Fla./Suncoast) pitched for the first time in more than a year, logging four innings with three strikeouts in his first game back from injury. Sophomore Josh Suvak (Independence, Ohio/Independence) came on in relief and tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless ball with three strikeouts.

Senior A.J. Boshinski (Alpharetta, Ga./St. Pius X) was next out of the bullpen and struck out five in 2.2 innings to earn the win. Sophomore Jose Vega (Strongsville, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) then shut the door with a perfect final inning, striking out the side for his fourth career save.  

The Spartans head further south for a doubleheader at Guilford College (N.C.) on Sunday, February 26 at 12:00 p.m.