The eighth-ranked Case Western Reserve University softball team did not allow a run across 12 innings to Brandeis University on Saturday at Mather Park in Cleveland, sweeping a doubleheader with a 3-0 win in the first game and a 10-0 win in five innings in the second game.
The Spartans improved to 22-2 overall and 8-2 in University Athletic Association play. The Judges fell to 11-7 on the season and 6-5 in the UAA.
Sophomore pitchers Lexi Miskey and Kylie Hosey and junior pitcher Jenna Jaklich combined for 12 scoreless innings in the doubleheader with 17 strikeouts and just five hits allowed. Junior infielder KaiLi Gross went three-for-seven with a double, a run scored, two runs driven in, and a stolen base, and first-year infielder Elizabeth Berry also had a three-hit day with a double. First-year catcher Anna Gobeyn drove in four runs across the two contests, including a three-run home run in the second game.
Game 1: #8 CWRU 3, Brandeis 0
The Spartans scored first in the bottom of the first inning. Junior outfielder Kela Jagoda walked and stole second with one out, scoring on a two-out double by Gobeyn.
In the second inning, CWRU increased its lead to three with two runs in the frame. Senior outfielder Carli Tucci singled and advanced to third on a single by first-year outfielder Brianna Landers. A single by junior outfielder Stevie Rieger drove in both runners, making the score 3-0 after two innings.
Two Judges reached base in both the fourth and sixth innings with just one out, but Brandeis was unable to score in either inning.
The three runs were enough for Miskey, who earned her 14th win of the season with six shutout innings. Miskey struck out 11 batters, her fifth game with double-digit strikeouts this season and the 10th such game of her career. She allowed just one hit and four walks, pitching five and one third hitless innings to start the contest. Jaklich earned her first career save, allowing a hit in the seventh inning but striking out the final batter of the game to secure the first shutout of the day.
Game 2: #8 CWRU 10, Brandeis 5 (5 inn.)
Brandeis loaded the bases with one out in the first inning, but Hosey escaped with an out at home and a strikeout to keep the Judges off the board.
After the first two runners reached base in the bottom of the first inning, Gobeyn slugged her fifth home run of the season and second in UAA play to put the Spartans up 3-0.
Senior infielder Amanda Riely drove in the fourth run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the second inning. In the next frame, sophomore infielder Isabella Russo scored on a throwing error to make the score 5-0. Landers followed with a double to plate another run. After a walk by Rieger, Gross put CWRU ahead 8-0 with a double to left field. Riely finished the scoring in the inning with a run-scoring single, plating first-year outfielder Tara Fritscher, who ran for Gross. In the fourth inning, Russo scored the 10th run of the game on a Brandeis error.
Hosey (8-2) pitched four shutout innings to earn the win, striking out five batters and allowing just three hits and a walk. Jaklich finished the second straight shutout with a perfect fifth inning.
The shutouts were the sixth and seventh of the season for the Spartans, who have not given up a run in their last 16 innings. CWRU scored at least 10 runs for the fifth time this season and second time in the series.
Case Western Reserve and Brandeis will play the series finale tomorrow, Sunday, April 9, with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m.
