CLEVELAND, Ohio – Junior rightfielder Sam Alexander (Alexandria, VA/T.C. Williams) hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Case Western Reserve University baseball team defeated Otterbein University, 5-4, on Thursday, April 21 at Progressive Field.

The Spartans improve to 28-12 overall and have won 14 of their last 16 games. Otterbein drops to 14-15.

Sophomore lefty Jamie Hora (Twinsburg, OH/Twinsburg) threw the final three innings and did not allow an earned run en route to his team-high sixth win of the season (6-3 overall).

The game went scoreless until the bottom of the six when the Spartans loaded the bases thanks to three Otterbein walks. Sophomore shortstop Matt Keen (Tallmadge, OH/Tallmadge) then cleared the bases with a double to left center and came around to score on a single by senior third baseman Chad Mullins (Fredericksburg, OH/Waynedale).

Otterbein cut into the lead with two in the seventh as Matt Workman and Wes Meadows provided RBI singles. The Cardinals then rallied to tie the game in the ninth as two Spartan errors led to two unearned runs.  

Undaunted, the Spartans got a leadoff single by Mullins, who then moved to second on an error and scored on Alexander's single.

Senior Devin Dye (Canton, OH/Jackson) started on the mound and threw six-plus innings but did not factor into the decision. The right-hander allowed two earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five.

The Spartans are back in action at home on Monday, April 25 versus John Carroll University at 4:00 p.m. The originally scheduled make-up doubleheader with Bethany College (WV) on Saturday has been cancelled due to conference obligations for the Bison.