Behind the strength of 14 scoreless innings from three pitchers, the seventh-ranked Case Western Reserve University softball team swept a pair of games on Tuesday at the DiamondPlex in Winter Haven, Florida, as part of The Spring Games, defeating SUNY Geneseo 5-0 and Endicott College 3-0.
With the two wins, Spartans improved to 10-0 to start the season. The 10 consecutive victories are the most for the program since the 2015 season when the team won a program-record 11 straight games. The Knights dropped to 3-4 following the first contest, and the Gulls fell to 3-3.
Case Western Reserve's pitching staff combined to strike out 17 batters in the two games, allowing just five hits and two walks for their first two Spartan shutouts of the 2023 campaign. Sophomore Kylie Hosey (4-0) earned the win in the first game, throwing six innings and striking out six. Junior Jenna Jaklich sealed the win with a scoreless seventh, working around a two-out walk to finish the shutout.
In the second game, sophomore Lexi Miskey (6-0) dominated the Gulls, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning and striking out a season-high 11 batters. She earned her first shutout of the season and the fifth of her career, allowing just one hit and no walks in seven innings while facing one batter more than the minimum. It was Miskey's seventh career game with double-digit strikeouts and her second of the season.
No. 7 CWRU 5, Geneseo 0
After a scoreless first inning, the Spartans struck first in the top of the second. Senior outfielder Carli Tucci led off the frame with a home run, her third of the season and the second in her last three games. With two outs, CWRU put runners on second and third with a pair of walks and a steal. Junior infielder KaiLi Gross drove both runners in with a single on the left side of the dirt, giving Case Western Reserve a 3-0 lead.
The following inning, first-year catcher Anna Gobeyn drove in sophomore infielder Isabella Russo with an infield single, increasing the team's advantage to four. In the fifth, Tucci picked up her second RBI of the contest, driving in a run with a groundout.
Hosey lowered her earned run average to 1.06 this season with the six shutout innings. Russo finished the game two-for-three at the plate with a stolen base, and Gross and Tucci each had two runs batted in.
Kaitlyn Schmitz (1-1) took the loss for the Knights, allowing four runs, all earned, in three innings.
No. 7 CWRU 3, Endicott 0
CWRU scored in the first inning of the second game, breaking a scoreless tie with a baserunning play. Russo, who singled earlier in the inning, attempted a steal of second and entered a run down. Gross, who was on third after doubling to lead off the frame, scored on the stolen base attempt.
In the second inning, the Spartans added a pair of runs to increase their lead to three. Senior infielder Amanda Riely doubled to lead off the frame and advanced to third when Gobeyn reached on an error. CWRU executed a double steal on a play similar to the first inning, scoring Riely for the second run on a steal by Miskey, running for Gobeyn. After she later stole third, Miskey crossed the plate on a groundout by first-year outfielder Brianna Landers.
Maria Hanchuk (2-1) suffered her first loss of the season, allowing two earned runs on three hits and one walk in six innings.
Prior to allowing her lone hit to leadoff the seventh inning, Miskey's only blemish was a hit batter in the third inning, who was erased on a double play. She stuck out the side in the second and sixth innings, recording a punchout in six of the seven frames.
Following a day off tomorrow, the Spartans will play two games in Winter Haven on Thursday, facing Westminster (Pa.) at 2 p.m. and Hood at 4 p.m.
