Case Western Reserve University junior catcher Jake Ryan slugged a pair of solo home runs and sophomore Nick Denove struck out a career-high nine batters in a complete-game effort, as the Spartans topped the 10^th-ranked College of Wooster 3-1 at Art Murray Field in Wooster, Ohio on Sunday afternoon.

The win was the second-straight for the Spartans, who improved to 2-2 on the year. Wooster dropped to 0-1 with the loss.

Denove went the distance on Sunday to earn his first win of the season, and did not allow his first earned run of the campaign until two outs in the ninth inning. He held the Wooster lineup to just five hits, and failed to walk a batter in the contest. The nine strikeouts surpassed his previous career-best of seven, set against both Spalding last season and in his first start of the 2020 campaign against Earlham.

Denove, an all-region selection last season, has now allowed just one earned run through 16 innings of work this season for an ERA of 0.56, while accumulating 16 strikeouts and surrendering just 11 hits and a walk.

Ryan, went two-for-four with the two home runs and a stolen base to pace the Spartans at the plate. He now has three home runs through four games this season, and moved into sole possession of sixth place in program history with 14 career home runs. It was the second multiple home-run game of his career, and the two home runs on Sunday give him six in four career games against the Scots at Art Murray Field.

First-year third baseman Trey Haley added a solo home run, the first of his career, and finished the game two-for-four. Senior first baseman Casey McConihe and junior outfielder Benjamin Stawicki each added a pair hits as well, as the Spartans outhit Wooster 10-5 in the game.

Ryan broke a scoreless tie with his first home run of the game, sending one over the wall in leftfield to leadoff the third, Meanwhile, Denove retired the first 10 batters he faced on Sunday before allowing an infield hit with one out in the fourth inning, and after hitting a batter, worked out of one of his few jams of the day, leaving runners stranded at first and third.

Ryan extended the Spartans' lead with a home run to left centerfield to lead off the seventh inning, and Haley made it a 3-0 game with a solo blast of his own over the wall in left with one out in the eighth. Wooster picked up its only run of the game in the ninth, after Ben Gbur doubled to start the inning, and came across to score on a two-out single by Aaron Spidell that narrowly escaped the grasp of sophomore Cole Jarrett in right field. However, with two outs and the tying run at the plate, Denove induced a popup to second base to end the game.

The Spartans are scheduled to be back in action on Monday, traveling to Washington, Pennsylvania for a doubleheader against #25 Washington and Jefferson College starting at 3:00 p.m.