With the light snow on Monday night interfering with the schedule, the Case Western Reserve University softball team endured a relatively quiet week. The team did play a doubleheader last Saturday at Denison University, ultimately earning a split.

The first game quickly proved to be a pitcher’s duel, with Case starter Annie Wennerberg and Denison starter Rebecca Dyer matching each other pitch for pitch and trading zeroes on the scoreboard for most of the game. Unfortunately for the Spartans, the trend wouldn’t last as Denison broke through for five runs in their half of the fifth inning. A couple of key errors by the Spartans opened the floodgates for Denison.

The critical blow came on a miscue by shortstop Makenzie Lein. With two outs and the bases loaded for Denison, Lein committed a miscue in the field that not only allowed another run to score, but also kept the rally going for the opposition. With Denison already up 2-0, the next batter, Kerry Hager, drilled a bases clearing double to extend the lead to 5-0. Dyer took it from there, as she proceeded to fire a complete game three-hit shutout for Denison as they took the opener of the doubleheader 6-0.

The Spartans wasted little time roaring back in game two. Denison starter Lindsay Divack gift-wrapped the team a first inning run, uncorking a wild pitch with a runner on third base.

They would receive another gift the next inning, as an error by Denison directly led to two more runs for the Spartans in the frame. In the blink of an eye, they had been handed a 3-0 lead and would never look back from there. In the fourth inning, the team strung together five hits and five runs to put the game out of reach. Another error by Denison opened the inning, and would be a sign of things to come. Initially, it appeared the rally might stall as the bases loaded with no outs quickly became bases loaded with two outs. Four consecutive hits later, the rally was complete. Rebecca Molnar took advantage of the ample run support, going on to pitch a complete game five hit shutout. The Spartans went on to win 8-0 in five innings to earn a doubleheader split.

The Spartans are back in action on Saturday, weather permitting, as they head to Ohio Wesleyan University to make up a doubleheader that was previously postponed. Next Monday, they return to Mather Park for a doubleheader against Allegheny College.