Joey Baum threw for 248 yards, and Derek Bush rushed for three touchdowns as the Spartans of Case Western Reserve defeated the Denison Big Red on Saturday evening from Case Field in Cleveland, Ohio.

The game did not start the way the Big Red wanted it to as they set the Case offense up inside the red zone after fumbling the opening kick off.  On the second play of the drive, Bush scored one of his three TDs from just seven yards out.  After a three-and-out for DU on their next possession, the Spartans found the endzone once again after marching 65 yards in eight plays.  The drive was capped off by a one-yard run by Bush.

Case Western Reserve tacked on another touchdown in the second when Baum found Zach Homyk for an 18-yard score midway through the second quarter.  That TD represented the only points of the period as Case entered the locker room with a 20-0 lead.  In the third period, the Spartans would tack on two more touchdowns and a Sam Coffey field goal to build up a 37-0 advantage heading into the final quarter.

Denison broke up the shutout after generating a score off a Case Western turnover.  While attempting to run out the clock, sophomore defensive back Alex Sycher (Columbus, Ohio/New Albany) stripped the ball away from Steven Magister at the Case 46-yard line.  Sycher picked up the loose ball and ran it all the way down to the nine-yard line.  After a six-yard completion from sophomore quarterback Max Paulus (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) to senior tight end Jake Shafer (Columbus, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) and a one-yard carry by senior Dan Crawford (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington), the senior tailback found the end zone from two-yards out on third-and-goal.  The score was Crawford's first rushing TD of the season.

The Spartan defense held Crawford and sophomore Sam Fioroni (Clarkston, Mich./Orchard Lake St. Mary's) to 21 and 19 yards rushing, respectively.  Paulus was 13-of-27 for 104 yards and two interceptions, while junior Lucas Graham (Zanesville, Ohio/Zanesville) caught five balls for a career-high 85 yards.  Junior Pat Effinger (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) logged career highs in both total tackles (eight) and solo stops (seven) to pace the DU defense.  Effinger also forced a fumble and returned it for 12 yards.  Scott Baird (Shelby, Ohio/Shelby) logged seven tackles and an interception, while Joel Elliott (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor) and Pat Loughlin (Wilton, Conn./Pomfret School) each notched six stops.

Denison falls to 3-1 on the year, while Case improves to 4-0.  The Big Red return to the field on Saturday (Oct. 2) when they host North Coast Athletic Conference rival Wooster.  Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.