Case Western Reserve University junior first baseman Nick Talarico got the Spartans off to a strong start with a three-run home run in the first inning, and five pitchers combined to allow just four hits, as the Spartans claimed a 7-1 win on the road against the Adrian College Bulldogs on Monday night.

The win was the third-straight victory for the Spartans, who improved to 15-13 overall. Adrian dropped to 11-9 following the loss.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Reece Marley started and earned the win to improve to 4-3 for the season, while lowering his earned run average to 2.81. He struck out six and allowed just one run on three hits, while walking five batters over five innings of work.

The Spartans wasted little time getting on the board, as junior catcher Jack Anderson led the game off with a base hit, first-year outfielder Nick Harms drew a one-out walk, and Talarico followed with a three-run home run to put the Spartans ahead 3-0. Marley worked around a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the first, CWRU added two more in the second on an RBI double by senior shortstop Jacob Lott, and a run-scoring single by sophomore third baseman Zack Carinci. Senior designated hitter Tre Armstrong extended the Spartans' lead to 6-0 with an RBI single in the top of the third, and in the fifth, Harms came in to score on a double play, putting CWRU ahead 7-0.

Marley held the Bulldogs scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when Adrian scored a run on a balk. Sophomore Patrick O'Connor followed with a perfect inning and two thirds, striking out two. First-year Alex Warner recorded the final out of the seventh, junior Sankalp Doshi pitched a perfect eighth with a pair of strikeouts, and sophomore Tyler Horvath struck out three in the ninth to close out the win.

Talarico finished the game one-for-three with the home run, two runs and three RBIs. Lott added a two-for-for performance at the plate with a double, a run and an RBI, while Harms was one-for-four with a triple, a walk and two runs scored.

Case Western Reserve will be back in action on Wednesday, traveling to Wooster, Ohio for a 4:00 p.m. contest against the College of Wooster.