SANFORD, Fla. – The Case Western Reserve University baseball team wrapped up University Athletic Association Championship action in the "Sunshine State" with a 4-1 loss to league champion Emory University (Ga.) on Sunday at Sanford Memorial Stadium.

The Spartans (10-6, 4-4 UAA) place third in the UAA and now head north to open the home portion of the 2012 schedule. Emory (14-7, 7-1 UAA) wins its second-straight league title.

Both teams scored in the third as Case got an RBI single in the top of the inning from junior centerfielder Paul Pakan (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge), while Emory took advantage of an error and picked up an RBI single from Brandon Hannon. The Eagles then moved ahead in the fifth when Hannon reached on a single and came around to score on a double by Jared Welch.

The Spartans had their best chance of tying the game with two in scoring position in the seventh, but Emory's Paul Schwendel danced his way out of trouble by striking out the side. The Eagles then put the game away in the bottom of the eighth as pinch hitter Daniel Iturrey drove in two with a single.

Senior starter Bradley Potter (Rochester, N.Y./Gates-Chili) was the tough-luck loser on the mound, allowing just one earned run in five innings with four strikeouts. In 26.2 innings pitched this season, Potter is 2-1 with a 1.69 earned run average. Freshman Edward Abramson (Maitland, Fla./Winter Park) threw the next two frames and did not allow a run while striking out a pair.   

Schwendel (3-2) was lights out for Emory, striking out 11 in seven innings of work. Mike Bitanga recorded the final three outs for his seventh save.

At the plate, Pakan was 2-for-3, while senior designated hitter Sam Alexander (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) was 2-for-4.

Hannon was 3-for-5 for Emory, while Jared Welch, Jay Page and Kevin O'Connor were each 2-for-4.

The Spartans return to the diamond on Wednesday, March 21 with their home-opener at Nobby's Ballpark. Grove City College (Pa.) is the opponent in a doubleheader set to begin at 1:00 p.m.