Box Score BECKLEY, W. Va. – Clutch hitting coupled with a key double play in the ninth inning lifted the Case Western Reserve University baseball team to a 4-3 victory during the opening game of the 2013 campaign versus local-rival John Carroll University on Friday afternoon at Linda K. Epling Stadium.
Offensively, junior outfielder Jordan Dague (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton) went 2-for-4 with a run batted-in and a pair of runs scored – the second of which was the eventual game-winner.
On the mound, junior right-hander Josh Suvak (Independence, Ohio/Independence) worked an inning of relief to pick up the win, while junior closer Jose Vega (Strongsville, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) recorded the final six outs for the save. Vega induced a key ninth-inning double play en route to adding to his school-record career save total, which now stands at 13.
The Blue Streaks (0-1) got on the scoreboard first thanks to a Mitchell Herringshaw RBI double.
The Spartans answered with three in their half of the second starting with an RBI single from Dague which plated sophomore catcher Robert Winemiller (Twinsburg, Ohio/University School). One batter later, sophomore left fielder Kerrigan Cain (Hartville, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban) singled to right to drive home sophomore infielder William Meador (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), and Dague would also come around following a Blue Streak throwing error.
In the bottom of the inning, JCU cut one off of its deficit thanks to an RBI single from Joe Veltri.
After each team went scoreless in the third, the Blue Streaks tied the game in the fourth when Bobby Sabatino tallied an RBI single of his own.
Then in the fifth, the Spartans picked up the eventual winning run as Dague singled, moved to third on a botched pick-off attempt, and scored on a fielder's choice by senior shortstop Matt Keen (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge).
Jimmy Spagna threw the first five innings for JCU and was saddled with the loss despite allowing only two earned runs. Veltri led the Streaks at the plate with a 3-for-5 performance.
The Spartans will now head further south and begin a four-game set with Guilford College (N.C.) on Saturday and Sunday, February 23-24. First pitch of the respective doubleheaders is set for 12:00 p.m.
