CHICAGO -- Senior first baseman Scott Hofer (San Marino, Calif./ Flintridge Prep) homered and drove in five runs as the University of Chicago baseball team defeated Case Western Reserve University 8-3 Saturday at J. Kyle Anderson Field.

Hofer gave the Maroons (11-9) an early 2-0 lead with a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning.

Case (11-31) tied the game in the second on Bobby Marko's two-run homer, but the Maroons answered with a run in their half of the second on an RBI groundout off the bat of sophomore second baseman Nick Fazzari (Wheaton, Ill./ Glenbard South).

The Spartans evened the score again with a run in the top of the third, but a two-run triple by Fazzari in the fourth brought home the go-ahead runs.

Hofer capped the Maroons' fifth consecutive victory with his first home run of the season, a three-run blast to left field in the seventh.

Sophomore pitcher Dan McConologue (Lockport, Ill./ Lockport) went the distance for the fifth time in as many starts to raise his record to 5-3. He allowed seven hits and three earned runs while fanning eight. He did not walk a batter.

Noah Lieberman (3-8) took the loss for the Spartans after yielding five runs (four earned) over five frames.

Freshman third baseman Stephen Williams (Malibu, Calif./ Malibu) went 2-for-4 and scored twice for the Maroons.

Chicago's second game of the day against Washington (Mo.) University was rained out after an inning and a half.

The Maroons wrap up the weekend Sunday against Washington at 10 a.m. and against Case at 4 p.m.

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