The Case Western Reserve University baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to top-ranked Cortland on Sunday, losing 8-0 in the first game and 3-1 in the second game at Lexington County Stadium in Lexington, South Carolina.

The Spartans drop to 4-8 on the season, while the Red Dragons improve to 10-3.

Game 1: #1 Cortland 8, CWRU 0

Junior second baseman Trey Haley hit his first double of the season and first-year catcher Jay Smith reached base twice on a pair of walks. First-year center fielder Logan Andreyko also added a hit, as CWRU could not figure out the Red Dragon pitchers.

In the third inning, Andreyko and first-year outfielder Nick Harms reached base with one out but were unable to advance. Haley hit a one-out double in the fifth inning but was also left stranded. The Spartans best chance to score came in the ninth inning, when Smith and junior third baseman Zack Carinci earned back-to-back walks. Carinci reached third with two outs but a pop out ended the game before CWRU could score.

Senior starting pitcher Nick Denove (0-1) tossed seven innings with four strikeouts and allowed just three earned runs.

Game 2: #1 Cortland 3, CWRU 1

The Spartans collected nine hits in the second game, including three from junior catcher Jack Anderson, and two each from Smith and Carinci.

Cortland took an early lead, scoring an unearned run in the first inning. CWRU put two runners in scoring position with two outs in the following inning but failed to push one across. In the third inning, the Red Dragons loaded the bases with just one out. Senior starting pitcher Willem Bouma struck out the next two batters to keep the deficit at just one run. Bouma (0-2) pitched five innings while striking out five batters and allowing just one earned run.

Danny Coleman hit a solo home run in the fifth inning to double the Cortland advantage. Carinci led off the next inning with a single, and senior outfielder Cole Jarrett followed to put the tying run on base. Anderson perfectly executed a bunt to the left side of the infield and was safe at first, loading the bases with no outs. After the Red Dragons recorded an out at home on a grounder, senior shortstop Jacob Lott put the Spartans on the board with a sacrifice fly. With the tying run on third base, Cortland forced a groundout to end the threat.

In the next inning, Smith tripled with two outs, bringing Carinci to the plate. Cortland decided not to face him, issuing an intentional walk to put the go-ahead run on base. A groundout prevented CWRU from tying the game. The Red Dragons added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning, and the Spartans could not muster a late rally, falling to the top-ranked team.   

Case Western Reserve returns to Cleveland for their home opener on Saturday, hosting Denison University for a doubleheader at Nobby's Ballpark as part of a four-game home-and-home series. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.