Box Score If ever one pitch proved to be the difference in a baseball game, the one that resulted in a grand slam by visiting Case Western Reserve University would provide an adequate case study for John Carroll.

Paul Pakan's two out bases loaded home run jumped a 2-0 Case lead to 6-0, and the Spartans never relinquished the lead (although the Blue Streaks came close to wresting it away) en route to a 7-5 victory.

Box Score

Case scored two runs in the first off starter Patrick O'Brien, but the Blue Streak junior settled down and allowed just one hit and no runs over the next three innings.

The fifth seemed to start harmlessly, as O'Brien retired two of the first three batters he faced. But a pair of walks loaded the bags, and Pakan stroked the first pitch he saw over the left field wall at Schweickert Field.

JCU began to chip in to the six-run lead immediately. In the bottom of the fifth, the Blue Streaks plated three runs. Mark Huddle, Bobby Sabatino and Joe Veltri all drove in runs to start the rally.

In the bottom of the sixth innings, Konsler pushed across a run and another crossed due to an error to pull the Streaks to within one run. But the Spartans called on closer Jose Vega to shut the door, and he did. John Carroll managed just one hit (and drew two walks) over the final three-and-two-thirds innings.

Huddle and Konsler both finished with two hits and one RBI.

Case Reserve improved to 26-14-1 while John Carroll, which dropped just its second game in the last eight times out, slipped to 16-15.