The Case Western Reserve University softball team concluded its regular season by sweeping the University of Chicago in a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon in Chicago, Illinois while increasing their win streak to eight games.

The Spartans picked up a 4-1 win over the Maroons in the early contest, and a 5-2 victory in the late affair.

The two wins raised the Spartans' record to 31-8 on the year, while Chicago fell to 19-15 overall with the losses.

Game 1: CWRU 4, Chicago 1
The first game was scoreless until the top of the third when senior Maren Waldner singled up the middle to score senior Katie Wede. Sophomore Nicole Carty followed with a two-run RBI single to left center that scored Waldner and junior Nicole Doyle to put CWRU ahead at 3-0.

The Maroons answered in the bottom of the fourth with a run, but the Spartans added to their lead in the top of the fifth when Doyle hit a solo home run to center field and that would secure the 4-1 Spartan victory.

Sophomore Ilissa Hamilton pitched the complete game, scattering three hits and, while striking out a career-high 13 and yielding just one earned run. She improved to 14-4 on the season. Molly Moran started for Chicago and suffered the loss, falling to 10-6 on the year.

At the plate, Doyle went three-for-four with two runs scored, one RBI and one home run, while Carty added a two-for-three day with two runs driven in.

Game 2: CWRU 5, Chicago 2
In the second game of the day, the Spartans struck first when freshman Sarah Miller hit a two-run home run to center field in the top of the second inning. Hamilton followed later in the inning with a double to right center that scored Carty to give the Spartans a 3-0 advantage.

The Maroons responded in the next half inning with a run of their own to cut the CWRU lead to 3-1.

During the bottom of the fourth inning, Wede made a key defensive play in center field as she reached over the fence to rob what would have been a go-ahead three-run homer for the Maroons.

The score remained 3-1 until the top of the sixth when Carty drilled a two-run homer to center field, extending the Spartan lead to 5-1. Chicago scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, but CWRU was able to hold on for the 5-2 victory.

Freshman Sidney Brannam pitched the complete game, scattering 10 hits and yielding just two runs. She improved to 15-4 on the season with the victory.

Freshman Arisa Cleaveland led the Spartans at the plate with a three-for-four performance, while Miller and Carty each went one-for-two with one home run and two runs batted in.

With the sweep on Sunday, Case Western Reserve completed a strong finish to the 2018 regular season. CWRU won their last eight games and 14 of its last 15 contests to finish with the second-most wins during the Coach Henry era.