CLEVELAND, Ohio – Sophomore third baseman Andrew Frey (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Case Western Reserve University baseball team defeated Muskingum University, 8-7, on Thursday at Progressive Field. The game marks the eighth-consecutive season in which the Spartans played a game at the home of the Cleveland Indians and the second-straight year the team won via the walk-off.
The Spartans improve to 23-12-1 overall headed into a crucial four-game set this Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22 versus No. 11 nationally-ranked DePauw University (Ind.). Muskingum drops to 14-16.
The Spartans got on the board with a run in the first inning as senior left fielder Sam Alexander (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) singled through the left side of the Muskingum infield plating classmate Bobby Marko (Lyndhurst, Ohio/Brush). Marko reached on an infield single to lead off the inning.
Muskingum answered with a run of its own in the top of the second via an RBI single to right off the bat of Matt Connor, but Case took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second when senior catcher Peter Zak (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) doubled off of the 19-foot-high left field wall, then came around to score on a groundout.
Muskingum then regained the lead with three runs in the top of the third and one more in the the fifth to build a 5-2 advantage.
Not done yet, the Spartans knotted the contest with a trio of runs in the home half of the fifth. Frey led off with a double to left-center, then came around to score on a single through the left side by junior shortstop Matt Keen (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge). Junior centerfielder Paul Pakan (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) reached on a fielder's choice and recorded the third run tying the game on a line-drive single by Alexander.
Muskingum came back and grabbed a one-run lead in the top of the seventh (6-5) on a sacrifice fly by Alex Vaccaro, but Case once again regained the lead in the home half of the eighth. Marko laced a double to left center bringing home freshman infielder Kerrigan Cain (Hartville, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban), who entered as a pinch-runner. Keen then completed his day at the plate with an RBI infield single to shortstop plating sophomore rightfielder Jordan Dague (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton), who reached on a single.
In the top of the ninth, the Fighting Muskies put together the tying rally all with two outs capped off by an RBI single off Spartan sophomore righthander Ray Kelly (Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas Institute). However, Kelly induced a lineout to get out of the jam and keep the game deadlocked.
In the home half of the ninth, junior first baseman Brett Ossola (Potomac, Md./Bullis School) started the inning with a walk and freshman Alan Long (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) was inserted as a pinch runner. Long moved to second after freshman utility player Andrew Gronski (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) was hit by a pitch and to third when freshman catcher Robert Winemiller (Twinsburg, Ohio/University School) was intentionally walked. With the bases loaded, Frey stepped to the plate and on the second pitch lifted a deep fly ball to center field plating Long for the win.
At the plate, Marko went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a run batted-in. Alexander and Keen were both 2-for-5 with two RBI.
Kelly was credited with the win for his first victory of the spring (1-0). He went the final 2.0 innings allowing one run on two hits while striking out a pair and walking one.
Michael Lynn, Zach Siemon and Vaccaro were all 2-for-3 for Muskingum as Lynn recorded three runs.
Pat Johnson (1-3) took the loss on the hill for the Fighting Muskies.