St. Louis, Mo. – The No. 25 Washington University in St. Louis softball team split with Case Western Reserve University on Saturday afternoon, falling in the first game before coming back to claim the second.

The Bears are now 18-5 overall with a 6-1 mark in conference play.

Game 1: CWRU 7, WashU 2

After two scoreless innings, the Spartans struck first, scoring three runs in the top of the third inning to take a 3-0 lead on the Bears.

Kela Jagoda and KaiLi Gross reached base on back-to-back errors. Gross stole second to put both runners in scoring position and Jagoda scored on a double through the left side from Stevie Rieger. With one out, Jordon Manworren singled down the left field line, scoring Gross and Rieger.

The Bears scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, Payton Irwin drilled a ball over the left center fence to cut the Spartans' lead to 3-1.

In the top of the seventh, Case exploded for four runs to take a 7-1 lead.

With one out, Carli Tucci doubled to center field and advanced to third on a Gross single to left center. Rieger then placed down a bunt, bringing in Tucci and advancing the runners to second and third. Amanda Riely then put down a sacrifice bunt to score Gross.

A Manworren double up the middle scored Rieger and a Liv Thomas single up the middle brought in Manworren for the 7-1 edge.

The Bears put together a small rally in the bottom of the seventh, but could only score one run.

Brooke Capparelli reached base as she was hit by a pitch, and advanced to third as Kirsten Drabek doubled down the left field line with a perfectly-placed hit. Irwin then reached first on an error by the short stop, giving Capparelli time to score.

WashU, however, could not put together any more runs, ending the inning and the game.

Drabek finished 1-for-2 while Irwin went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored.

Jamie Burgasser took the loss in the circle, pitching six-and-a-quarter innings with seven hits, six runs, four strikeouts and one walk.

Game 2: WashU 2, CWRU 0

It was a battle from the very beginning, as both teams had great pitching and fielding. In the first five innings, there were just three total hits between the teams, two for WashU and one for Case.

The difference did not come until the bottom of the sixth inning, as the Bears scored two runs on three hits which would ultimately win them the game.

With two outs, Maggie Baumstark got things going with a single to short. Tami Wong then singled and advanced on an error, bringing in a speedy Baumstark from second for the first run of the game. Ashley Kennedy then drilled a double to left field, scoring Wong and giving the Bears a 2-0 edge.

The Bears forced three quick Case outs in the top of the seventh to end the game with the victory.

Kennedy finished 2-for-3 with one RBI while Wong went 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored. Eimear Cunningham finished 1-for-2.

Senior Madison Denton picked up her fifth win of the year in the circle, pitching a one-hit shutout while striking out one.

WashU and Case wrap up the four-game series tomorrow with a single game at 11 a.m.