ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – The Case Western Reserve University softball team dropped a pair of games and tied for third place on the final day of the 2013 University Athletic Association Championship at Seminole Field. The Spartans lost their opener to Brandeis University (Mass.), 8-5, then fell to No. 2 nationally-ranked Emory University (Ga.), 4-0.

The Spartans (7-8, 3-5 UAA) conclude their spring break trip and will now head home to open the northern portion of the schedule on Wednesday, March 20 versus the University of Mount Union. First pitch in the twinbill at Mather Park is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

Versus the Judges (7-6, 3-5 UAA), the Spartans fell behind 1-0 after one inning when Danielle Novotny singled home Amanda Genovese. The Spartans came back with three in the top of the third thanks to back-to-back RBI singles from freshman first baseman Erin Dreger (Alliance, Ohio/Alliance) and sophomore rightfielder Gena Roberts (Miami, Fla./Palmer-Trinity) as well as sacrifice fly from sophomore pitcher Rebecca Taylor (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe).

In the bottom of the third, the Judges took advantage of a pair of Spartan errors and tacked on eight base hits to score six times and make the score 7-3. Novotny provided the key hit in the inning with a two-run double to center. Anya Kamber and Madison Sullivan hit RBI singles to close the scoring.

The Spartans could only manage two more runs on a sacrifice fly from sophomore second baseman Molly O'Brien (Northbrook, Ill./Loyola) in the sixth and an RBI infield single by sophomore leftfielder Ashley Parello (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) in the seventh. The Judges countered with another score in the bottom of inning via a Melissa Nolan RBI single.

On the mound, freshman Rebecca Molnar (Independence, Ohio/Independence) started and surrendered three earned runs in 2.1 innings to fall to 0-2 for the season. Taylor threw the final 3.2 innings and allowed one earned run while striking out two.

For the game, Dreger, Roberts and Parello each finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Brandeis' Casey Ducinski logged the complete game on the mound to improve to 3-1. At the plate, the Judges were led by Novotny who was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored.

Versus the UAA Champion Eagles (32-1, 8-0 UAA), Case fell behind early once again when Hannah Sendel hit a three-run homerun in the top of the first.

That proved to be the only offense starter Sydney Carpenter (5-0) needed in the complete-game shutout. She limited the Spartan bats to just three base hits, a single in the first and two in the sixth, while striking out five and walking two.

Emory tacked on a single tally in the sixth on an RBI single from Meaghan Schultz for the final four-run difference.

Rebecca Taylor (7-6) took the loss for the Spartans with her seventh complete game of the spring. She surrendered four runs on just four hits while striking out four and walking a pair.