The seventh-ranked Case Western Reserve University softball team began University Athletic Association play on Friday with a doubleheader sweep of New York University at Mather Park in Cleveland, winning the first game 10-4 and taking the second 11-1 in five innings.
With the two victories, the Spartans extended their winning streak to nine games, improving to 17-2 overall and 2-0 in UAA contests. The Violets fell to 5-11 on the season and 0-2 in conference play.
First-year Karen Potts went five-for-eight across the two contests with a triple and her first career home run. She also scored three times and drove in four runs. Seniors Stevie Rieger and KaiLi Gross hit home runs on Friday, increasing their shared team lead to three each, and Gross extended her hitting streak to 12 games.
#7 CWRU 10, NYU 4
After junior pitcher Lexi Miskey struck out the side in the first inning, the Violets scored twice in the second inning to take an early 2-0 lead. NYU loaded the bases with an infield single and a pair of walks and plated their runs on a bunt hit and sacrifice fly.
The Spartans responded in the bottom half of the frame. First-year Alaina Steffes led off with a double and scored on a throwing error. A groundout by junior Isabella Russo scored sophomore Elizabeth Berry to tie the score at two.
A sacrifice fly in the third inning gave the Violets a one-run lead, but Berry drove in two runs in the bottom half to put CWRU ahead, 4-3. After a scoreless fourth, NYU tied the score at four with a two-out double.
Gross broke the deadlock with a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning, the 17th round tripper of her career. Russo delivered a bases loaded single later in the inning to increase the team's lead, and first-year Kaelyn Zusi added a run with a bases loaded walk.
CWRU added three more runs in the sixth inning, scoring on a wild pitch, a throwing error, and a passed ball. Senior pitcher Jenna Jaklich closed the game in the seventh, allowing just one hit in the final frame.
Miskey earned the win in the circle to improve to 10-2 on the season. She allowed four earned runs on six hits while striking out seven. Potts had the second third hit game of her career, and Steffes scored four times, matching a program record last done by Liv Thomas on May 2, 2021.
#7 CWRU 11, NYU 1 (5 inn.)
CWRU continued their offensive surge at the plate, scoring seven times in the first three innings to open a 7-1 lead.
Rieger began the scoring with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, the seventh of her career. NYU cut into the deficit with a run in the second inning, but the Spartans quickly increased their lead in the bottom half of the inning.
A double by first-year Nylah Durham brought home a run in the second inning, and Jagoda followed with a run-scoring fielder's choice. Potts then drove in the third run of the inning with a single.
In the third inning, a single by Russo made the score 6-1, and senior Jordon Manworren followed with a run-scoring single to increase the lead to six.
After a scoreless fourth inning, CWRU scored enough in the fifth to end the game by run rule. Steffes led off the frame with a double, marking her fourth consecutive game with an extra base hit. She scored on a single by Jagoda, putting the Spartans one run away from ending the game. Potts gave the team three runs with a home run to straightaway center field, ending the game with her first career homer.
Potts finished the second game with four runs batted in, and Rieger and Jagoda each drove in two.
Junior Kylie Hosey remained undefeated in the circle, improving to 7-0 by allowing only one run on six hits in five innings. She struck out three batters.
The two teams will continue their four-game series with a single game tomorrow at Mather Park. The start time has been moved back to 4 p.m. due to expected rain in the Cleveland area.
