From Washington University Athletics

The Washington University in St. Louis baseball team recorded eight of its season-high 15 hits in the first two innings to build a 5-0 lead en route to a 7-2 victory over the University of Rochester at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship Tournament Monday at Seminole State College.

WashU improved to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the UAA with the win, while Rochester dropped to 1-1 overall and in conference play. The Bears continue UAA play by facing No. 8-ranked Emory University at 5 p.m. (ET) Tuesday, March 10, at Sanford Memorial Stadium.

The Bears got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning when senior Zack Kessinger recorded an infield single to score junior Max Golembo and make it 1-0. After senior Kunal Patel sat down the first three batters he faced in the bottom of the inning, including back-to-back called strikeouts, the Bears sent all nine batters to the plate in the top of the second as they broke the game open with four runs on five hits.

Sophomore Scott Nelson hit a one-out single to center field to get the inning started for WashU. After senior Andrew Goldstick drew a walk, Golembo recorded his second hit of the game to load the bases. Sophomore CJ Price then lined a two-RBI double to center field to make the score 3-0. Senior Chris Lowery followed with a sacrifice fly to score Golembo. After Kessinger was issued a four-pitch walk, senior Brian Cizek singled to left field to score Price and extend the lead to 5-0.

The Bears added an unearned run in the top of the third, before Rochester got on the scoreboard with a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-1. In the top of the fifth, WashU got an RBI single by Lowery to once again take a six-run lead. Patel continued his strong pitching performance, allowing just two hits in his career-high eight innings of work. The Yellowjackets scored their second run of the game on a leadoff homerun in the bottom of the ninth and got two more runners on base before WashU turned a game-ending double play to finish the 7-2 win.

Patel (1-0) improved his career record to 5-1 with the victory. He finished with two hits, one earned run, four walks and four strikeouts in eight complete innings. Sophomore Chris McKee made his first career appearance on the mound for the ninth inning, allowing one earned run on one hit, while walking one.

Offensively, the Bears had eight different players record hits in the game, including three-hit performances by Golembo (3-for-4, three runs, two walks, three steals) and Cizek (3-for-4, RBI, walk). Price (2-for-5, double, two RBIs, run, walk) and Goldstick (2-for-4, double, run, walk) added two hits each, while Lowery also had two RBIs.

Bear Notebook: WashU is 6-2 against Rochester at the UAA Championship in head coach Steve Duncan's five seasons … The two runs allowed by the Bears was the fewest in a game this season … Junior Kyle Kozak has recorded hits in 10 straight games, while Kessinger extended his hitting streak to nine.