The Case Western Reserve University baseball team overcame late deficits in both games of their doubleheader against Ohio Wesleyan University on Sunday afternoon to sweep the Battling Bishops at Nobby's Ballpark in Cleveland, Ohio. The Spartans secured a walk-off 4-3 win on a game-winning double by first-year third baseman Zack Carinci in the first game of the day and scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning of game two to claim a 7-5 victory.
The Spartans have now won four of their last five games to improve to 6-4 overall. Ohio Wesleyan dropped to 1-5 following the sweep.
Game 1 – CWRU 4, Ohio Wesleyan 3
After falling behind by a run in the top of the ninth inning, the Spartans battled back in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on Carinci's one-out game winning double to win 4-3.
CWRU's rally in the ninth started with an error that allowed leadoff hitter and junior centerfielder Cole Jarrett to reach first. Sophomore right fielder Flynn Lenahan traded places with Jarrett after hitting into a fielder's choice for the first out of the frame and moved up to second base on a wild pitch. Senior left fielder Benjamin Stawicki followed with an infield hit to short, putting runners on the corners and setting the stage for Carinci, who laced a sharp ground ball down the third base line. Lenahan scored easily from third on the hit, and the ball was bobbled in left field, allowing Stawicki to come all the way around from first base to score the game-winning run.
Prior to the ninth inning, the Spartans offense was keyed by the duo of sophomore catcher Jack Anderson and sophomore left fielder/ first baseman Jonathan Simon. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Anderson tripled to right centerfield with one out, and scored on a groundout by Simon. After the Bishops regained the lead in the fourth, Anderson and Simon hit back-to-back triples in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 2-2.
Neither team would score again until the ninth, when Ohio Wesleyan played a run on a one-out single by Cole Antle, setting up the heroics for the Spartans in the bottom of the inning.
Making the second start of his career, first-year southpaw Reece Marley scattered six hits and five walks, while striking out five batters and allowing two runs over his five innings of work. First-year Tyler Horvath pitched the final four innings for the Spartans, allowing just four hits and two walks, while striking out a pair. Horvath lowered his ERA to 1.69 with the effort, and picked up his first collegiate win, improving to 1-0.
Anderson finished the game three-for-four at the plate, including the two triples and a stolen base, while senior shortstop Jacob Lott added two hits in three at bats with a double and a walk. Carinci went two-for-five in the contest.
Ohio Wesleyan's Andy Anthony took the loss in relief for the Bishops, dropping to 0-2 on the campaign.
Game 2 – CWRU 7, Ohio Wesleyan 5
The Spartans capitalized on two big innings in the second game, scoring four runs in the fifth and three runs in the eighth, to complete the sweep of the Bishops with a 7-5 win in the late affair.
Jarrett and Lenahan each drove in two runs in the game, with Jarrett going two-for-four with a run, a walk and a stolen base, and Lenahan adding a one-for-four performance with a run scored to extend his hitting streak to 15-straight games, dating back to last season. Sophomore second baseman Nick Talarico went two-for-four in the game with a triple and a run scored.
CWRU fell behind 3-0 early, but that would be all that sophomore right-handed starter Jackson Morris would yield in the game. Morris allowed the three runs on seven hits and two walks over his six innings of work in the no-decision.
The Spartans broke through against Bishops' starter Ryan Eberling in the fifth, scoring all four runs in the frame with two outs. Lott singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch, scoring on a single by Jarrett with two gone. Jarrett then stole second and scored on a base hit by Lenahan. One batter later, senior designated hitter Tre Armstrong tripled to tie the score, and then crossed the plate on a passed ball to give CWRU a 4-3 advantage.
Ohio Wesleyan regained the lead with two runs against CWRU first-year reliever Patrick O'Connor, who made his collegiate debut in the game. However, he struck out three batters in a scoreless eighth inning, keeping the score at 5-4. With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Talarico tripled and then scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Lott followed with a walk and moved to second in a single by first-year left fielder Connor Stephenson. Jarrett then singled, driving in Lott to put the Spartans back in front 6-5. The Spartans added to the lead on some heads-up base running by Stephenson, who scored from second on a sacrifice fly to deep right by Lenahan.
Carinci would close out the game with a scoreless ninth for his third save of the campaign. O'Connor picked up the win to improve to 1-0 on the year, while Gavin Pulliam took the loss for the Bishops to drop to 0-2.
The Spartans will now turn their attention towards a busy week ahead, with three doubleheaders on the horizon. CWRU will begin the week with a trip to Hiram College for a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31. Both games on Wednesday will be seven-inning contests.