The sixth-ranked Case Western Reserve University softball team extended its winning streak to 14 games with a doubleheader sweep of Emory University on Saturday at Mather Park in Cleveland, winning the first game 5-1 before taking the second contest 10-2 in five innings.
The Spartans improved to 22-2 on the season and 7-0 in University Athletic Association play, while the Eagles fell to 16-11 on the season and 2-5 in UAA contests. The 14-game winning streak is the second-longest in program history, trailing only the 20 consecutive victories the team won during the 2023 campaign.
Senior Kela Jagoda and sophomore Elizabeth Berry had two hits in both contests, and seniors KaiLi Gross and Stevie Rieger each drove in four runs across the two games. Gross, who crushed a three-run home run in the second game, stretched her hitting streak to 17 games with hits in both games, the longest streak for a Spartan this season.
Game 1: #6 CWRU 5, Emory 1
With two runners in scoring position to start the bottom of the first inning, Gross hit a towering double to right center field to drive in the first run of the contest. Reiger followed with a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0.
Junior pitcher Lexi Miskey worked around a pair of walks in the second inning to keep the Eagles off the board. In the bottom of the frame, the Spartans loaded the bases with one out. However, Emory starting pitcher Lexi Bach escaped danger with an out at home and a pop out to keep the deficit at two.
Emory's Ellie Zerr hit her second home run of the series with two outs in the third inning to make the score 2-1.
In the bottom half of the frame, first-year Alaina Steffes delivered a two-out run-scoring double to put Case Western Reserve ahead by two for the second time in the game.
After two scoreless innings, junior Isabella Russo drove in a key insurance run with a two-out double. Sophomore Elizabeth Berry followed with a run-scoring double to increase the advantage to four.
Senior Jenna Jaklich recorded the final three outs of the game, picking up a strikeout. Miskey improved to 13-2 on the season, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out seven. The win was the 52nd of her career, tying her for second on the program wins list with Rebecca Taylor. Former Spartan Annie Wennerberg holds the program record with 53 wins.
Steffes had the first three-hit game of her career, going three-for-three with a run batted in and a double. Potts had her fourth three-hit game of the season.
Game 2: #6 CWRU 10, Emory 2 (5 inn.)
Looking for the Saturday split, Emory scored a run just four batters into the game to take an early lead.
CWRU responded by loading the bases with their first three batters in the bottom of the first inning. Rieger drove all three runners in with a double, giving the Spartans a 3-1 advantage.
In the next inning, senior Jordon Manworren drove in a run with a ground ball that Emory misplayed. The Spartans then executed a double steal to score their fifth run of the game. Steffes drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the third inning to make the score 6-1.
The Eagles scored a run in the fourth inning to cut into the deficit, but junior pitcher Kylie Hosey stranded two runners in scoring position with a strikeout to keep the lead at four.
Jagoda doubled with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, and Potts followed with a walk to keep the inning alive. Gross then slugged a three-run homer that hit the top of the scoreboard in right center field to increase the lead to seven. It was her fourth home run of the season and the 18th of her career.
Following a scoreless inning in the circle from sophomore Devanghi Misra, the Spartans scored their 10th run on a wild pitch to end the game by run rule.
Hosey remained undefeated in the circle, improving to 9-0 with four innings of work. She allowed two runs on six hits while striking out two batters.
Four Spartans recorded two hits in the game including Jagoda, Gross, Rieger, and Berry, with Gross and Rieger driving in three runs each. Both of Berry's hits were doubles.
Case Western Reserve and Emory will conclude their four-game series on Sunday with a single game starting at 11 a.m.
