The Case Western Reserve University softball team ended its Spring Break trip to Texas in dramatic fashion, falling to fourth-ranked East Texas Baptist University 2-1 in eight innings on Saturday afternoon at Taylor-Rogers Field in Georgetown, Texas.

The Spartans fall to 2-5 on the season, while the Tigers improve to 14-5.

First-year pitcher Kylie Hosey dueled Kathryn Reed in the low-scoring affair. Hosey retired the first eight batters she faced and allowed just one earned run on four hits and a walk. With the performance, she lowered her ERA to 2.80.

Case Western Reserve struck first in the third inning. Sophomore third baseman Kaila Nutter led the frame off with a walk, her first of two walks in the game. After she advanced to second on a passed ball, sophomore center fielder Kela Jagoda bunted Nutter to third. A two-out single from sophomore left fielder Stevie Rieger gave CWRU a 1-0 lead.   

Though ETBU finally recorded a hit against Hosey in the bottom of the third, they stranded the runner on base. The Tigers pushed a run across in the next inning, tying the score on a double down the left field line. In the fifth, they had a runner on third base with only one out, but Hosey recorded two outs to keep the game deadlocked.

The Spartans had a chance to breakthrough in the sixth inning when junior second baseman Amanda Riely walked and reached second following a bunt. However, she was stranded there.

In the bottom of the seventh, East Texas Baptist, looking for a walk-off win, had a runner on third base with two outs. Hosey forced extra innings by inducing a groundout to end the threat.

After Case Western Reserve went down in order to begin the extra frame, the Tigers scored the winning run with two outs on a Spartan error.

The Spartans will look to rebound on Tuesday when the team returns to Ohio to face the University of Mount Union. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 3 p.m.