Softball

2016 NCAC Tournament Champs | 2017 Regular Season Champs

Tigers Drop A Pair to Case Western

File Photo | Erin Pence
File Photo | Erin Pence

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Case Western Spartans were officially the home team in a doubleaheader played at Wittenberg's Betty Dillahunt Field. They played like it.

Wittenberg's planned trip to Case Western on Saturday was postponed and the venue changed thanks to frigid temperatures in northern Ohio. The conditions were only marginally better in Springfield a day later, and the Spartans made themselves right at home with a sweep of the Tigers by scores of 5-4 and 20-0.

The losses dropped Wittenberg to 7-9 on the season, while Case Western improved to 16-5.

In Game 1, the Tigers nearly completed a rally from a 4-0 deficit, scoring three times in the fifth inning and once in the sixth. However, Case Western pushed one more run across in the bottom of the fifth inning to hold on for a 5-4 victory.

Freshman Chelsea Zang (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) allowed nine hits and 13 total baserunners, but she battled back to limit the Spartans to five runs (four earned). She also sparked the offense with a home run, while sophomore Casey Hobbs (Fairborn, Ohio/Carroll) added two hits and drove in two runs and junior Kaela Hughes (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson) added an RBI double.

Game 2 was all Case Western from start to finish. The Spartans started off with six runs in the first inning and then broke the game wide open with a 14-run barrage in the third.

The Tigers were charged with five errors in the game, compounding the problems encountered by a trio of Wittenberg pitchers, who allowed three doubles and three home runs in the game.

Wittenberg managed six hits offensively, but they were unable to score in the game. Hobbs led with a pair of hits.

Written By: Ryan Maurer