Lexington S.C. - Mark Gross scattered seven hits and allowed just a pair of unearned runs to lead the Case Western Reserve University Spartans to a 5-2 victory over the Trinity College Bantams in baseball action this evening at Lexington County Stadium.  The Bantams fall to 2-3 with their first loss in three games but their second setback against the Spartans this week.  Case Western Reserve improves to 9-1.  Trinity will have one last crack at the Spartans tomorrow, as the Bantams close their spring trip with a 2 p.m. game against the Roger Williams University Hawks and a 6 p.m. nightcap against Case Western Reserve.

Trinity drew first blood in the top of the first inning, scoring twice on RBI singles by senior OF Brendan Pierce (Hingham, Mass.) and senior 2B Cooper Mooney (Southbury, Conn.).  Bantam sophomore DH Mack Lauder (Chappaqua, N.Y.) and senior OF Matt Toth (New Canaan, Conn.) both singled to load the bases, but Gross recorded the final out on a grounder.  The Spartans got one back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Jacob Kucia, but Trinity rookie starter Max Barsamian (Weston, Mass.) did not yield a hit or a run in the next three frames.  Case Western Reserve took the lead, 3-2, in the fifth inning on three walks and two wild pitches.

The Trinity offense made a final push in the eighth inning when seniors Tyler Forgione (North Branford, Conn.) and Carter Snyder (Lemont, Ill.) walked and pinchrunners Geoffrey Stillman (Scituate, Mass.) and Alex Herbst (Clarendon Hills, Ill.) executed a double steal to advance to third and second.  Spartan closer Liam Killingstad ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts and added a scoreless ninth to collect a save.  Mooney and Toth had two hits while junior reliever Brad Whitman (Salisbury, Mass.) pitched the last eight out and allowed just a run and three hits for Trinity.