SANFORD, Fla. – A third-straight outstanding effort on the mound by senior Bradley Potter (Rochester, N.Y./Gates-Chili) wasn't enough as the Case Western Reserve University baseball team fell to Washington University-St. Louis, 3-2 in extra innings on day three of the 2012 University Athletic Association Championship at Sanford Memorial Stadium.
The Spartans slip to 7-4 overall and 1-2 in the UAA, while the Bears improve to 10-3 overall and 3-0 in the Association.
Potter held Washington-St. Louis scoreless for the first 6.1 innings and allowed just one run for the game on two hits while striking out a pair. Through three starts in 2012, Potter is 2-0 with a 1.66 earned run average.
The Spartans got on the board in the top of the fourth inning as junior first baseman Brett Ossola (Potomac, Md./Bullis School) was hit by a pitch and later came around to score an on RBI single to left by sophomore outfielder Jordan Dague (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton). The Bears threatened to even the score in their half of the frame, but Potter was able to strand runners at first and third with a called third strike on a full count.
Case then added some insurance in the seventh when junior shortstop Matt Keen (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) hit a two-out single to right to drive home Dague.
Senior left-hander A.J. Boshinski (Alpharetta, Ga./St. Pius X) came on in-relief of Potter with a runner on in the seventh and held the lead as the Bears picked up a sacrifice fly by Andrew Goldstick to make the score 2-1.
However, Washington-St. Louis kept the pressure on in the eighth and took advantage of an error and a wild pitch to tie the score before Spartan freshman Kevin Johnstone (Placentia, Calif./Valencia) came out of the bullpen to stop the rally.
Later in the bottom of the 10th, Wash. U.'s Dylan Reid singled, stole second and came around to score on a botched pickoff attempt, giving the Bears their third-straight UAA victory.
For the game, Dague, Keen and freshman infielder Kerrigan Cain (Hartville, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban) were each 2-for-4. Johnstone (0-2) suffered the loss on the mound, allowing one unearned run with two strikeouts in two innings.
Bears' starter Matt Kenahan dueled Potter most of the way, pitching the first 6.1 innings and allowing two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts. Brandon Rogalski threw the final inning and picked up the win.
The Spartans will look to rebound tomorrow versus the University of Rochester (N.Y.) at 11:00 a.m. Case opened last season's UAA Championship at 0-2 before reeling off four wins in a row to place second.