Box Score Behind a record-setting day from first-year pitcher Lexi Miskey and clutch hitting from first-year outfielder Isabella Russo, the 25th-ranked Case Western Reserve University softball team defeated The College of New Jersey 2-1 in nine innings in the first game of the 2022 NCAA Division III Softball Championship Regional at Mather Park in Cleveland, Ohio on Friday afternoon.
The Spartans improve to 27-9 on the season and will face #18 Concordia Wisconsin on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. The Lions fell to 27-10 and will face #13 Roanoke on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in an elimination game.
In the top of the ninth inning with the score tied at one, sophomore shortstop KaiLi Gross worked a leadoff walk. She advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt from sophomore outfielder Stevie Rieger and a groundout by senior infielder Liv Thomas. Stepping up to the plate with two outs, Russo delivered an infield single to drive in the winning run, rallying one of the largest crowds in the history of Mather Park.
Miskey (14-4) retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth, punctuating the win with her 14th strikeout of the game for the final out. Her 14 strikeouts are a single-game program record, one more than the previous high of 13, which she previously did earlier this season against Carnegie Mellon. She pitched all nine innings, allowing one run on five hits and three walks.
After three scoreless innings, Russo broke the deadlock with a double in the top of the fourth inning, plating Miskey to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead. Russo finished the day two-for-four at the plate with two runs batted in. Junior outfielder Carli Tucci collected the third Spartan hit.
The Lions threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning, getting a runner to second base with just one out. Miskey struck out the next two batters to preserve the Case Western Reserve lead heading into the seventh inning. In the bottom of the seventh, TCNJ catcher Julia Mayernik tied the score with a leadoff home run. Despite the next batter reaching second with a double, the Lions were unable to plate the winning run.
