MEADVILLE, Pa. -- Behind a dominant Game 1 outing from senior pitcher John Fortunato, No. 16 Case Western Reserve split a doubleheader at Allegheny on Tuesday afternoon at the Robertson Complex.
The Spartans (26-8) took Game 1 by a score of 5-1 before the Gators (23-8) responded with a 13-3 victory in Game 2.
Fortunato (7-1) struck out seven in seven innings of four-hit ball in the opener. The complete game was his second this season and fourth of his career.
In two games at the plate, junior second baseman Kerrigan Cain went 4-for-8 with a double and a stolen base.
The Spartans utilized a four-run seventh inning in Game 1 to stretch their win streak to seven. With the game tied 1-1 in the top of the frame, the Spartans loaded the bases and scored on an error before freshman outfielder Antonio Damiano laced a three-run double down the left field line.
For the game, Cain went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while junior catcher Jordan Swisher was a perfect 2-for-2 with a double and a run.
The Spartans then got on the board quickly in Game 2 as Cain scored via an RBI groundout by his brother, freshman outfielder Aaron Cain, in the top of the second. However, the Gators responded immediately with five in the bottom half as Mike Pezzone provided a three-run double. Allegheny extended its lead to 8-1 with three unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth inning then added three more tallies in the bottom of the sixth to build an 11-1 advantage.
Freshman Jake Shields suffered the loss on the mound to fall to 5-2. Steven Ramsdell (6-1) was the winner for Allegheny with seven strikeouts and just one earned run allowed in seven innings.
In a quiet game at the plate for CWRU, Kerrigan Cain was 2-for-4.
Joe Killian and Zach Gray each collected two hits for the Gators.
