Entering the weekend needing just one win in its four-game series against Washington University (Mo.) to claim a conference title, the 15th-ranked Case Western Reserve University baseball team jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first inning and cruised to a 14-3 win in seven innings over the Bears to secure the fifth University Athletic Association Championship in program history.

CWRU improved to 28-8 overall and to 11-2 in the UAA, moving three and a half games ahead of both WashU and Emory with three games remaining on the conference schedule to clinch the title. It marks the fifth UAA Championship in program history (2013, 2014, 2018, 2022) and the second time the Spartans will claim sole possession of the league title (2018).

WashU fell to 23-13-1 with the loss, including a 7-5-1 record in the UAA.

CWRU senior southpaw Reece Marley earned the win in the game to improve to 5-2 overall for the season, allowing just one run on five hits and two walks while striking out six batters. The victory was the 18th of his career, moving him into sole possession of fourth place all-time in program history.

Graduate student catcher Jack Anderson added a four-for-four day at the plate with two runs, a double, and four RBIs, giving him 103 RBIs for his career to become the 11th player in program history with over 100 career RBIs. Graduate student first baseman Dane Camphausen added a three-for-four day at the plate with a run, two RBIs, and a double, and junior center fielder Logan Andreyko went two-for-four with two runs, three RBIs, and a triple. Graduate student third baseman James Powers, junior right fielder Nick Harms, and graduate student second baseman Franco Alonso each had two hits in the game as well, as every Spartan starter reached base at least once and scored at least one run in the game. CWRU finished the contest with 17 hits.

The Spartans wasted little time taking control of the game, sending 12 batters to the plate and scoring seven two-out runs in the first inning. Harms started the scoring with a two-out RBI single that plated Anderson and began a stretch of five straight Spartan hits and eight straight CWRU players hitting base. Camphausen registered a run-scoring double and senior designated hitter Zack Carinci had an RBI single to put CWRU up 3-0. After loading the bases, first-year shortstop Nate Arterburn was hit by a pitch and Andreyko drew a walk to extend the lead to 5-0, and a two-RBI single by Anderson put CWRU ahead 7-0.

In the third, an RBI double by Anderson and a run-scoring single for Powers gave CWRU a 9-0 advantage. The Spartans continued to add on to the lead with a five-run fourth inning, scoring on a two-run triple by Andreyko, a sacrifice fly from Anderson, and a base hit by Camphausen.

Marley left the game after five innings with a 14-1 advantage and senior Patrick O'Connor closed out the game by allowing two runs with three strikeouts in the final two innings, forcing an early end to the contest with an 11-run lead after six-and-a-half innings.

WashU starter Sebastian Guzman suffered the loss for the Bears to fall to 3-2 on the year.

CWRU improved to 13-0 at Nobby's Ballpark with the win and has now won 21 consecutive games at home dating back to last season.

The Spartans and the Bears will continue their series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon.