UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – The Case Western Reserve University softball team continued its winning ways with two dramatic victories, 6-5 and 13-12, on Thursday, April 7 against local rival John Carroll University at Bracken Field. The Spartans mashed four homeruns on the evening to move to 13-20 overall and have now won six straight.

In game one JCU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, but the Spartans answered with a pair of runs in the fourth to tie things up on a double by junior Kaeleen Boden (Strongsville, OH/Holy Name). Case then grabbed the lead in the fifth on a two-run homer by senior Beth Andrasik (Nordonia, OH/Sagamore Hills), her first of the season. The Blue Streaks responded with a score in the bottom of the fifth and went up 5-4 in the sixth to set the stage for another Spartan rally.

Trailing by one, junior Lauren Wolz (Ashburn, VA/Stone Bridge) drilled a two-run homerun to give Case a 6-5 advantage, which would hold up as freshman Makenzie Lein (Petersburg, MI/Ida) closed out her complete game win to improve to 7-6 on the season.

In the evening's second affair the Blue Streaks once again staked themselves to a 2-0 lead in the second, but Case would come mashing its way back with a four-run third capped off by a two-run homer by Lein. Another two crossed on a single by freshman Amy Taylor (Brier, WA/Inglemoor). Case proceeded to add to its lead in the fourth on an RBI ground out by Andrasik and a run-scoring single by Wolz. John Carroll reclaimed the lead in the fifth, however, pushing across seven in a two error, long inning for the Spartans.

Trailing 9-6, Case countered with two in the sixth on another two-run bomb by Wolz, her second of the day. Lein then scored two more in the seventh to put the Spartans back on top, 10-9. After JCU evened the score again in their half of the inning, Case scored three more in the eighth inning highlighted by run-scoring singles by sophomore Kayla Lang (Broadview Heights, OH/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) and Taylor. The Blue Streaks staged another comeback in the eight, plating two but would leave the game-tying run stranded at first.

Lein returned in relief to pitch to final 3.1 innings in game two and picked up her second win of the night, improving to 8-6 on the season.

The Spartans will return to action on Saturday, April 7 at Carlow University (PA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.