The eighth-ranked Case Western Reserve University softball team split a doubleheader on Saturday with 25th-ranked Washington University in St. Louis at the WashU Softball Field in St. Louis, winning the first game 4-1 but dropping the second contest 3-2.
The Spartans moved to 10-7 on the season and 1-2 in University Athletic Association play, while the Bears moved to 15-5 overall and 2-1 in the UAA.
Graduate student infielder KaiLi Gross led the team offensively, collecting four hits across the two games with two runs driven in and a run scored. Senior infielder Isabella Russo also drove in a pair of runs, and sophomore infielder Karen Potts scored three times in the doubleheader.
#8 CWRU 4, #25 WashU 1 (Game 1)
After the Bears stranded two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the second inning, the Spartans struck first in the following frame. Potts doubled with one out and scored on a two-out single by Gross to break the deadlock.
Senior pitcher Lexi Miskey then retired eight consecutive batters to keep WashU off the basepaths until the bottom of the fifth inning. Both teams left runners in scoring position in the frame, and the Bears put the tying run on third with two outs in the bottom of the following stanza. However, Miskey induced a popup to end the threat.
CWRU erupted for three key insurance runs in the final inning. Sophomore outfielder Alaina Steffes delivered a pinch-hit single, and Potts followed with a walk. After a fly out put two Spartans away, Gross drove in her second run of the day with a single. Russo followed with a two-run double, duplicating the Case Western Reserve advantage to four.
Miskey, who earned the win in the circle with six scoreless innings, gave way to senior pitcher Kylie Hosey with a four-run lead. The Bears only managed to score on a double steal, giving the Spartans a 4-1 win to even the three-game series.
Case Western Reserve had 12 hits in the game, including three from Gross and two each from Russo and junior infielder Elizabeth Berry. Miskey allowed just three hits and three walks, striking out four WashU batters in the contest.
#25 WashU 3, #8 CWRU 2 (Game 2)
The first eight Spartans in the second game were retired, and neither team was able to score in the opening three innings. CWRU loaded the bases in the fourth, but a rare unassisted triple play negated the threat. WashU took advantage in the bottom half, scoring on a single to take a 1-0 lead. However, the Spartans ended the threat with a double play.
Case Western Reserve plated a pair of unearned runs in the fifth inning, taking advantage of WashU miscues. After a single by first-year outfielder Kate Coonan, sophomore outfielder Nylah Durham reached on an error. Potts worked a walk to load the bases, and, following and out at the plate, both Durham and Potts scored on a wild pitch to give the visitors a 2-1 advantage.
The lead held until the bottom of the seventh inning, when the Bears tied the game on a grounder and won the contest with a walk-off sacrifice fly.
Miskey (7-3) took the loss in a complete game effort, allowing three runs on nine hits with a strikeout. The Spartans had four hits from four different batters while also drawing four walks, including two by Potts.
CWRU has a break in conference play next weekend, welcoming a pair of Ohio schools to Mather Park for two doubleheaders. The Spartans will start the weekend with two games against Capital on Thursday, March 27 starting at 3 p.m.
Spartan Notes
- The Spartans broke a four-game losing streak to the Bears with the win in the first game on Saturday
- Miskey lowered her earned run average to 2.92 by pitching 12 and two-third innings while allowing just three runs
- Gross recorded her fourth game with at least three hits this season and her 10th multi-hit game in 2025
- Russo leads the team with six games with at least two runs batted in
- Potts has reached base in 13 consecutive games and 16 of the team's 17 contests. She leads the Spartans with 13 walks, six more than second place
