ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - The Case Western Reserve University softball team suffered a 8-5 loss despite a late rally early on Tuesday against Washington University in St. Louis, then turned around for a second game 5-3 victory over No. 16 Emory University on Tuesday afternoon on the first day of the University Athletic Association Championship held in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

The Spartans are now 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the UAA, while the Bears from Washington are 9-3 and 1-1 and the Eagles from Emory are 11-1 and 1-1. The win over Emory also marks Head Coach Josie Henry's 100th program win.

Against Washington, the Spartans rallied back with five runs after dropping to 8-0 after the first three innings. In the top of the fourth, senior second baseman Molly O'Brien (Northbrook, Ill./Loyola) brought in runs number four and five with a double to left field.

During game two against Emory, the Spartans took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first.

Freshman Grace Tritchler (San Antonio, Texas/Winston Churchill) singled in two runs. Sophomore pitcher Annie Wennerberg (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake) stole home to give the Spartans even more of an edge against the nationally ranked Eagles. Senior Rebecca Taylor (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) reached first on an Eagles' error to plategTritchler.

Despite Emory's attempts to close the gap, bringing the score as close as 4-2 after the second inning, the Spartans scored their fifth run as senior outfielder Ashley Parello (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) singled in freshman pinchrunner Lindsey Robinson (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin).

The Spartans retired the Eagles in order in the fifth and sixth innings.

The CWRU softball team will return to action tomorrow morning on day two of the UAA Championship with a doubleheader beginning at 10:00 am against Brandeis University and finishing the day with a 1:00 p.m. matchup against the University of Rochester.