The Case Western Reserve University baseball team wrapped up its 2022 regular season schedule on Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader against the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. The Spartans won the opening game of the twin bill 5-2, before suffering a 5-4 loss in the second game.

The Spartans ended their regular season with a record of 23-17, while the Purple Raiders stand at 21-16 for the campaign.

Game 1 – CWRU 5, Mount Union 2
The Spartans scored five unanswered runs to overcome an early deficit in the opening game of the doubleheader and defeat Mount Union 5-2.

CWRU starting pitcher Reece Marley allowed a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning but held the Purple Raiders scoreless over the remainder of his seven-inning outing. The Spartans cut the Mount Union lead in half when senior outfielder Cole Jarrett scored on a passed ball in the top of the second, and then tied the score at 2-2 on a sacrifice fly by junior catcher Jack Anderson that scored junior second baseman Trey Haley.

In the top of the sixth, a bases-loaded infield single by first-year outfielder Logan Andreyko scored both junior first baseman Nick Talarico and junior designated hitter Flynn Lenahan, and put the Spartans ahead 4-2. One inning later, Jarrett drove in sophomore third baseman Zack Carinci with a single, extending the CWRU advantage to three runs.

Meanwhile, after allowing three hits and a walk in the first inning, Marley yielded just three hits and another walk over his next six innings on the hill. Sophomore Tyler Horvath closed out the game, striking out three and walking one over the last two innings to earn his sixth save of the campaign.

Marley picked up the win to improve to 5-4 on the year, while Mount Union starter Carson Davis suffered the loss to drop to 3-5.

CWRU totaled seven hits in the game and drew five walks. Carinci went two-for-five with a run, while Andreyko added a two-for-four performance at the plate with an RBI. First-year outfielder Nick Harms had the Spartans' only extra base hit of the contest, a double in the first inning.

Game 2 – Mount Union 5, CWRU 4
The Spartans attempted a late comeback in the second game, but ultimately fell short in a 5-4 loss to the Purple Raiders.

Trailing 5-3 with two outs in the top of the ninth, back-to-back singles by Anderson and Carinci put runners on second and third. Harms followed with a hit of his own, scoring Anderson and moving the potential game-tying run to third base. However, Talarico stuck out to end the CWRU threat and the game.

The late flurry of offense was a stark contrast to the early portion of the game. Making just his second start of the season, sophomore Matthew DuBois held Mount Union hitless through the first four innings of the game. Talarico broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth, driving in Anderson with a ground out to give CWRU a 1-0 lead. However, the Purple Raiders answered with four runs in the bottom of the fifth and one in the sixth, taking a 5-1 advantage.

CWRU began to chip away at the lead in the seventh, scoring runs on a sacrifice fly by Carinci and a groundout by Harms, but would not be able to pull even in the game.

The top three hitters in the CWRU lineup combined for six of the team's nine hits in the game, including a two-for-four game with three runs, a walk and a double for Anderson, a two-for-three showing with an RBI and a walk for Carinci, and a two-for-five game with two RBI for Harms.

DuBois allowed four runs on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts, suffering the loss to fall to 2-1 on the year. Carinci added two and a third innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out one.

Ryan Osman earned the win in relief for Mount Union, improving to 3-1 for the year.

With the regular season now complete, the Spartans hope that their record, combined with the top strength of schedule in Division III and a strong showing against regionally-ranked opponents, will earn them an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. The field for the tournament, along with regional host sites, will be announced on Monday, May 16 on ncaa.com.