The 16th-ranked Case Western Reserve University Spartans overcame an early four-run deficit to take a late-inning lead, but it ultimately was not enough, as the Swarthmore College Garnet tied the game in the bottom of the ninth and won it on a walk off in the bottom of the 11th, 7-6, at the Spartan Southern Classic in Lexington, South Carolina, on Sunday afternoon.

The loss dropped the Spartans to 6-4, while Swarthmore improved to 7-3. 

Stats & Standouts

• First-year catcher Collin Pool finished the game one-for-two with a walk, a run scored, two runs batted in, and the first home run of his collegiate career.

• Sophomore third baseman Calvin Gelle reached base three times in the game, going one-for-three with two runs, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch.

• Junior designated hitter Tyler Stillson was one-for-four with an RBI, a run, a walk, and a stolen base.

• Junior right-handed pitcher Zach Barnes pitched the bulk of the game in relief, finishing with two runs allowed on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts over five and a third innings.

• Sophomore right-handed pitcher Cody Hughes pitched a scoreless tenth, but gave up a single and a double in the ninth to allow the game-winning run to score, as he suffered the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season. Swarthmore's David Herrin earned the win, his second in as many days, to improve to 2-1 for the campaign.

Highlights & Scoring Recap

• Swarthmore took the early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first inning against sophomore lefty Charlie Griffith, and added an unearned run in the bottom of the third to go ahead 4-0. 

• CWRU got on the board in the top of the fourth when Gelle reached on a hit-by-pitch, moved to second on a balk, advanced to third on an infield single by senior right fielder Matt Trout, and scored when Trout was picked off at first.

• Griffith left the game with two outs and two on in the bottom of the fourth, but Barnes was able to induce a groundout to avoid any runs scoring in the frame.

• The Spartans got closer in the top of the fifth on Pool's solo home run, trimming the Garnet's advantage to 4-2.

• Junior shortstop Nate Arterburn was hit by a pitch to start the inning and scored a batter later when Gelle singled to right field. Arterburn, who was running on the pitch, advanced to third and scored on a throwing error by the Swarthmore right fielder. Stillson followed with a single to score Gelle and tie the game at 4-4. Later in the inning, CWRU loaded the bases with two outs, and Pool drew a walk to force across the go-ahead run and give the Spartans their first lead of the game, 5-4.

• The Garnet tied the game with a run in the bottom of the inning, but CWRU regained the lead in the top of the eighth when senior left fielder Sean Donahue reached on an error, stole second, and scored on a base hit by senior center fielder Jasiah Harris.

• Swarthmore would tie the game with one out in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single by Brad Johnston, sending the contest into extra innings.

• The game remained tied until the bottom of the 11th, when Swarthmore's Leor Kedar singled with one out and scored a batter later on a walk-off hit from Aidan Sullivan.

Spartan Notes

• CWRU now stands at 4-4 all-time against Swarthmore and has won three of the last five games.

• Gelle has now reached base safely in each of the nine games he has played in for the Spartans this season.

• Pool became the third Spartan player to hit a home run this season. Stillson leads the team with two, while first-year infielder Jaxon Knutson tallied an inside-the-park home run earlier in the campaign.

• Sunday's game was the Spartans' first extra-inning affair since an 8-6 win in 11 innings over Chicago last year. It was the team's first extra-inning loss since a 9-8 loss to WashU in 10 innings on March 26, 2023, ending a stretch of three-straight extra-inning wins.

Up Next

The Spartans will continue play at the Spartan Southern Classic on Monday at 1:00 p.m. against Marietta College.