Behind a record-setting day from senior infielder KaiLi Gross, the sixth-ranked Case Western Reserve University softball team defeated Emory University 8-0 in six innings at Mather Park in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon to sweep the four-game weekend series.
The Spartans improved to 23-2 on the season and 8-0 in University Athletic Association games with their 15th consecutive win. The victory also marked the team's 24th straight win in UAA play dating back to last season. The Eagles fell to 16-12 overall and 2-5 in UAA contests.
Gross recorded her 77th career steal in the fifth inning, breaking the program record of 76 previously held by former Spartan Katie Wede. She also eclipsed 100 career runs batted in with a run-scoring single earlier in the inning to become the third player in program history with 100 career runs scored and batted in, joining former Spartans Annie Wennerberg (113 RBI, 116 runs) and Nicole Doyle (118 runs, 110 RBI).
Gross gave the Spartans an early lead, hitting her second home run in as many games to make the score 1-0. It was her fifth home run of the season and the 19th of her career, moving her into sole possession of seventh place on the program home run list.
Following two scoreless innings, senior Stevie Rieger doubled the team's advantage with a run-scoring single, sending first-year Karen Potts home.
The following frame, CWRU scored five times to break open the lead. The Spartans loaded the bases with their first three batters on two hits and an error. Senior Kela Jagoda then reached on an error to plate a run, and Potts followed with a two-run double, increasing the team's lead to five. Gross contributed a single to add to the advantage, and Rieger finished the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
After a perfect sixth inning from senior pitcher Jenna Jaklich, senior Jordon Manworren delivered a pinch-hit run-scoring single to end the game by run rule.
Junior pitcher Kylie Hosey earned the win in the circle to improve to 10-0 on the season, allowing no runs on just one hit and no walks. She struck out three. Jaklich and junior pitcher Lexi Miskey completed the one-hit shutout, the team's fourth of the season, combining for two strikeouts in two innings of work.
Gross extended her hitting streak to 18 games, the longest for a Spartan better in five seasons, with her eighth multi-hit game. Rieger and Potts both drove in a pair of runs, with Potts collecting her team-leading 11th multi-hit game of the season. Potts and first-year Alaina Steffes each had a double, tying Gross for the most on the squad with nine in 2024.
The Spartans will next embark on an eight-game road trip, facing WashU and Brandeis away from Mather Park over the next two weekends. CWRU will start their four-game series with the Bears in St. Louis on Friday, April 12 with a single game starting at 4 p.m. ET.
