Box Score The Case Western Reserve University softball team picked up a 6-2 win over Washington University (Mo.) in the opening game of a four-game series in Saint Louis, Missouri on Friday afternoon.
The win improved the Spartans to 20-13 on the year, while Washington dropped to 15-15. CWRU now stands at 7-8 in the University Athletic Association, while the Bears fell to 4-9 in conference play in 2019.
In the top of the first inning, freshman Liv Thomas hit a RBI single up the middle that scored sophomore Arisa Cleaveland to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead.
The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth when the Bears scored a run off a RBI single from Nicole Hay that evened the game 1-1. CWRU quickly responded the next half inning as junior Nicole Carty hit a double to right center field that scored junior Ilissa Hamilton. Senior Nicole Doyle then stepped to the plate and drove a RBI single to right center field that scored junior Caitlin Smith, giving the Spartans a 3-1 lead after five and a half innings of play.
CWRU added an insurance in the top of the sixth, when sophomore Sarah Miller scored via a wild pitch to increase the advantage to 4-1.
The Spartans would score another two runs in the top of the seventh as Doyle drove in her second run of the day, as she singled through the left side of the infield to score Hamilton from third. Junior Melissa Cuellar followed with a RBI single to right field that scored Carty to make it a 6-1 score. CWRU allowed a run in the bottom half of the inning, but were able to hold on for the 6-2 victory.
Hamilton would earn the win in the game with seven strong innings of work, improving to 10-6 on the season. She allowed two earned runs on nine hits and walk, while striking out nine batters. Madison Denton took the loss for WashU, as she fell to 8-8 on the campaign.
Cleaveland led Case Western Reserve at the plate as she accounted for three of the team's 10 hits on the day, while also tallying two stolen bases. Doyle and Hamilton each added a pair of hits during the game.
The Spartans and the Bears will resume their series on Saturday, April 27th, with a doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m. ET in St. Louis.
