Despite taking the lead in the top of the seventh inning, the fifth-ranked Case Western Reserve University softball team lost its first game of University Athletic Association play in 2023, falling to Emory University in heartbreaking fashion 5-4 at Cooper Field in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday afternoon.

With the loss the Spartans fell to 14-1 on the season and 0-1 in UAA play. The Eagles improved to 11-7 overall and 1-0 in the conference.

Down 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning and down to their final strike, the Spartans rallied to take their first lead of the game. Junior outfielder Kela Jagoda singled with two outs, and junior infielder KaiLi Gross tied the score with a double off the wall in center field. After sophomore infielder Isabella Russo was hit by a pitch, senior infielder Amanda Riely drove a double to left field. Gross scored, giving the Spartans the lead, but Emory was able to get Russo out at the plate to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the frame, the Eagles scored two runs on three hits to win in walk-off fashion.

Seven Spartans totaled eight hits in the game, led by Riely, who went two-for-four in the contest, raising her team-leading batting average to .479.

Emory opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back hits. Sophomore pitcher Lexi Miskey limited the damage by striking out the next two hitters to end the inning. The Eagles then added two runs in the fourth inning to increase their lead to 3-0.

In the sixth inning, CWRU scored two runs to make the score 3-2. With one out, Russo reached on an error. Riely followed with a single, putting two runners in scoring position for senior outfielder Carli Tucci. Tucci doubled down the left field line, driving in both runners to cut the deficit to just one.  

Miskey recorded six strikeouts in the first three innings, totaling seven in the contest. She allowed three runs, all earned, on five hits and two walks and did not factor into the decision. Sophomore pitcher Kylie Hosey (6-1) took the loss in relief, allowing two earned runs on four hits and a walk in two and one-third innings. Emory's Mackenzie Duford (8-2) earned the win, tossing a complete game and allowing three earned runs on eight hits.

The Spartans will look to rebound from the tough loss tomorrow when the two teams continue their four-game series with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.