From Washington University Athletics
The No. 9-ranked Washington University in St. Louis softball team ran its winning streak to seven games with pair of victories at the 2016 Mizuno Invitational Sunday in St. Louis.
WashU posted an 11-0 five-inning win over Augustana College (Ill.) in game one, and then senior Brooke Hofer delivered the game-winning RBI in the eighth inning in a 2-1 win over Wartburg College in the second game.
Senior Annie Pitkin (12-2) picked up the win in both games allowing two hits and one unearned run in eight innings pitched. Pitkin struck out 11 and limited opponents to a .074 batting average.
The Bears improved to 20-4 with the sweep, and joined University Athletic Association (UAA) member Emory University (25-1) as the only teams in NCAA Division III to hit the 20-win plateau this season.
#9 WashU 11, Augustana (Ill.) 0 – Five Innings
Pitkin tossed the 49th complete game of her career allowing one hit in five innings pitched against Augie. She struck out five and did not walk a batter.
The Bears scored two runs in its first a-bat of the game without recording a hit. Juniors Hannah Mehrle and Kenzie James walked to lead off the inning, and then came around to score after a pair of flyouts and a throwing error by catcher Brittany Kellett.
In the second, Mehrle drove in a run with a two-out RBI single to right and then James pushed across a run with a bunt single.
The Bears added seven runs on four hits in the third to push the lead to 11-0. Junior Halle Steinberg cleared the bases with a double off the centerfield wall, and then sophomore Ashley Madsen drove in a run with a groundout. Junior Janet Taylor added a bases-clearing single to left, pushing her team-leading RBI total to 27.
WashU had seven hits in the win, and took advantage of four walks and three hit-by-pitch.
#9 WashU 2, Wartburg 1 – Eight Innings
Sophomore Maggie Clapp and Wartburg's Kimberly Wedeking were involved in a pitcher's dual in the final game of the Mizuno Invitational. Clapp tossed five scoreless innings allowing seven hits and one strikeout before giving way to Pitkin in the sixth.
WashU trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth after Pitkin allowed an earned run on a throwing error by third baseman Maggie Clapp.
With the international tiebreaker rule in affect, Mehrle was placed on second in the bottom of the eighth. She came around to score the tying run with one out after Taylor reached on an error by Wartburg shortstop Kailee O'Brien. After freshman Taylor Arends walked, Hofer ripped a pitch up the middle scoring Taylor from second for the game-winning run.
Hofer was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while James was 2-for-4. The Bears had eight hits in the win.
Pitkin picked up the win in relief allowing one hit and one unearned run. She struck out six and walked one in three innings pitched.
WashU hosts No. 15-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University (5-3) in a doubleheader Thursday, March 24, at 4 p.m.
BEAR NOTEBOOK: WashU has recorded 20 or more wins in 17-straight seasons … Arends has reached base in all 24 games this season … The Bears are 4-0 at home this season and have won 10-straight at the WU Softball Field … Hofer and Taylor lead the team in multi-hit games with 12 … Taylor extended her hitting streak to 11 games with a single in each game … James hit .800 (8-for-10) with seven runs scored and three stolen bases in the Mizuno Invitational, while Pitkin was 3-0 with a 0.51 earned run average with 22 strikeouts … WashU is 2-0 in extra innings.