TIFFIN, Ohio – A pair of complete-game pitching performances from senior lefty Jarrett Gish (Jupiter, Fla./Suncoast) in game one and sophomore right-hander Kevin Johnstone (Placentia, Calif./Valencia) in the nightcap led the Case Western Reserve University Baseball team to 4-1 and 5-2 victories during a key doubleheader sweep at No. 14 nationally-ranked Heidelberg University on Saturday at Peaceful Valley.
With the sweep the Spartans improve to 9-4 overall, while the Student Princes slip to 10-6.
The two-game set was originally scheduled at Case, but inclement weather and field conditions forced a relocation to northwestern Ohio.
In the opener, Gish hurled his second complete game of the spring and improved to 3-0. He allowed one unearned run on seven hits while striking out four. In the process, Gish lowered his earned run average to 1.20 and now has 17 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched this season.
In game two, Johnstone (1-1) picked up his first victory and complete game of the campaign. He allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits and matched a career-high with seven punchouts. On the season, Johnstone has 18 strikeouts in 28.2 innings of work and lowers his ERA to 1.26.
In the first game, the Spartans got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first frame. Senior first baseman Brett Ossola (Potomac, Md./Bullis School) knocked home the run with a single up the middle and gave the Spartans an early 1-0 advantage.
Two innings later, the Spartans tallied a pair of unearned runs after Heidelberg starter Ryan Minteer failed to field a dribbler off the bat of sophomore catcher Robert Winemiller (Twinsburg, Ohio/University School). That dribbler to the mound scored senior shortstop Matt Keen (Tallmadge, Ohio /Tallmadge) who reached via a one-out single. Case's other run came on a passed ball in which sophomore rightfielder Andrew Gronski (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) touched home plate following a single. In the bottom half of the frame, the Student Princes answered and cut the deficit to two, 3-1, after Ben Blystone knocked a base hit through the left side.
Case added to its lead in the top of the fourth when Keen doubled to deep center plating sophomore designated hitter William Meador (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) all the way from first to move in front once again by three, 4-1.
Minteer (1-3) took the loss throwing the first six innings for the Student Princes. He surrendered four runs, two earned, on seven hits while striking out three. Ben Sniezek threw the final three innings and allowed one hit while striking out a pair.
For the game, Keen was 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored, while Ossola was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
In game two, sophomore leftfielder Kerrigan Cain (Hartville, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban) led off the game and was hit by a pitch. The visitors posted back-to-back singles and had bases loaded with no out. Senior centerfielder Paul Pakan (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) stepped to the plate and on the first pitch he saw, he posted a sacrifice fly scoring Cain and giving Case an early 1-0 lead. However, Heidelberg starter Tyler Fruhwirth wiggled out of the jam as the Spartans couldn't muster another run.
In the bottom of the third, Heidelberg knotted the score at 1-1 after the Student Princes scored a run via a fielding error.
The Spartans regained the lead for good in the top half of the sixth after Cain fouled numerous pitches off and subsequently ripped a single through the right side to score freshman third baseman Mike Ilacqua (Mayfield Village, Ohio/University School) and Meador.
One inning later, Gronski earned a walk, and Pakan followed with a rip to the gap in left center that plated Gronski all the way from first. Case added an insurance run after Winemiller hit a single up the middle past a drawn-in infield scoring Pakan and giving the visitors a 5-1 edge.
The Student Princes tacked on a run in the ninth cutting the deficit to three, but it wasn't enough as Johnstone thwarted the would-be comeback attempt.
Pakan was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored and two RBIs, Cain was 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, and Meador was 3-for-3 with a run scored.
Fruhwirth (1-2) took the loss throwing six innings with three runs, one earned, on 11 base knocks and five strikeouts. Kyle Fluharty threw an inning in relief allowing two runs on two hits, while Travis Gray pitched the eighth and ninth innings.
The Spartans conclude their road trip with a single nine-inning contest at Peaceful Valley tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.