Case Western Reserve University junior right fielder Nick Harms drove in four runs and senior pitcher Tyler Horvath threw three and a third hitless innings in relief to help lead the Spartans to a 7-3 win over Oswego State in the team's first game of its Spring Break Trip at Lexington County Stadium in Lexington, South Carolina on Sunday night.
The Spartans improved to 6-2 with the win, while Oswego State dropped to 2-3 with the setback.
Harms finished the game two-for-five at the plate with a stolen base and four RBIs, while graduate student catcher Jack Anderson added a two-for-three day with two runs, two stolen bases, and a pair of walks. As a team, the Spartans stole seven bases in the game and totaled eight hits.
CWRU got on the board in the top of the fourth inning on a one-out solo home run by graduate student first baseman Dane Camphausen, his first home run as a Spartan. After the Lakers evened the score in the bottom of the inning, the Spartans rallied in the fifth to regain the lead. With the bases empty and two outs, junior left fielder Logan Andreyko singled while Anderson and graduate student third baseman James Powers followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases. Harms then singled through the right side on the first pitch of the next at bat, scoring Andreyko and Anderson to put the Spartans in front 3-1.
CWRU added on another run in the sixth when graduate student designated hitter Franco Alonso singled to start the inning and was pinch run for by senior Connor Stephenson, who moved to second on a passed ball, to third on a ground out, and then scored on a two-out bunt single by first-year second baseman Nate Arterburn. Oswego answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to pull back within a run, 4-3, but Horvath came in to get the final out of the inning and went on to hold the Lakers scoreless the rest of the way.
CWRU added a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by sophomore center fielder Matt Trout and then scored two more in the top of the ninth on Harms' second two-RBI single of the day to help put the game away.
CWRU left-handed pitcher Reece Marley started and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits with five walks and five strikeouts to earn his first win over the season, improving to 1-1 on the year. Horvath, who did not allow a hit in his 3.1 innings of work, struck out seven and walked just two to pick up his second save of the year.
Oswego State starter Jonah Shearer suffered the loss, dropping to 0-1 on the season.
The Spartans will be back in action from Lexington County Stadium on Monday with a pair of games, facing 21st-ranked Arcadia at 12:30 p.m. and Swarthmore at 4:00 p.m.
