From Washington University Athletics
Junior pitcher Annie Pitkin picked up a pair of victories on the mound and did not allow a run in 9 1/3 innings pitched as the No. 24-ranked Washington University in St. Louis softball team picked up a pair of victories at the Warrior Spring Fling held at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark.
Pitkin allowed one hit and struck out seven in five innings in a 7-0 win over Westminster College in game one, and then tossed 4 1/3 innings in relief allowing one hit with six strikeouts. She improved to 3-1 and lowered her earned run average to 1.47.
#24 Washington U. 7, Westminster (Mo.) 0
Sophomore Hannah Mehrle went 2-for-4 with two
RBIs and a run scored in the game one victory, while
sophomore Janet Taylor added a pair of hits. Washington
U. had nine hits in the victory.
The Bears struck first with a run in the first inning after sophomore Kenzie James singled with one out and then stole second. She came around to score after a two-out single up the middle by Mehrle. Washington U. added an unearned run in the third, and then broke open the game with four runs on four hits in the top of the sixth.
Junior Brooke Hofer drove in the first run of the sixth after Mehrle and Taylor singled, and then freshman Melinique Walls grounded out to short to push another run across. SeniorAlyssa Wilson had an RBI single and freshman Maggie Clapp added a pinch-hit RBI double to center to make it 6-0. Mehrle had an RBI groundout in the seventh to round out the scoring.
Freshman Mackenzie Gauden pitched the final two innings to preserve the third shutout of the season. Gauden allowed three hits and walked one in relief.
#24 Washington U. 13, Hendrix 5
The Bears fell behind in game two in the first after
Hendrix scored two runs of WashU freshman starting
pitcher Anna McKee. Washington U. scored three runs in the
third on two hits as senior Adrienne White had a
three-RBI double to left.
The Bears tacked on four runs on five hits in the fifth to build a four-run lead. Taylor drove in the first run with a single through the left side, and then Clapp had a two RBI up the middle. Wilson added a two-out RBI single up the middle to make it 7-3. Hendrix (3-2) scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning off Clapp to trim the lead to 7-6. Pitkin came in with one out and runners at first and second, but ended the threat with two strikeouts.
Leading by just one run, James got things going for the Bears in the sixth with a leadoff single and a stolen base. After White reached on a passed ball, Taylor homered to left to make it 9-6. The round tripper for Taylor was her second of the season and third of her career. Washington U. added three runs on five hits in the seventh to bust the game open. White had an RBI double and Mehrle drove in two runs with a single up the middle to make it 13-5.
Taylor went 3-for-5 and tied a career-high with four RBIs. She is hitting .688 with two home runs and 14 RBIs through the first six games of the season. James went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and is second on the team with a .438 batting average. White also drove in four runs and went 2-for-3, while Biles was 1-for-2 with two runs scored, two walks and two stolen bases. Biles is also hitting .438 with a team-leading eight stolen bases.
McKee lasted just 2 1/3 innings allowing five hits and two earned runs, while Clapp gave up three hits and three runs (two earned) in 1/3 off of an inning. WashU had a season-high six walks and 15 hits in game two.
Bear Notebook: Washington U. is 20-1 all-time against Westminster and 9-1 against Hendrix … Biles moved into third place in school history with 44 steals, while James is now tied for seventh with 32 … Pitkin moved into sole possession of sixth place with 33 wins … Taylor has hit safely in all six games, and has four multiple-hit games and four multiple-RBI games.