From Washington University Athletics
The No. 8-ranked Washington University in St. Louis softball team continued its early season success with two wins Sunday at the Warrior Spring Fling held at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark.
The Bears scored nine runs in the fourth inning in a 12-3 five-inning win over Westminster College (Mo.) in game one, and then senior Annie Pitkin tossed a three-hitter in an 8-0 victory over host Hendrix in game two.
#8 WashU 12, Westminster (Mo.) 3 (Five Innings)
WashU jumped in front in game one with three runs on fourth hits in the bottom of the third. Sophomore Hera Tang drove in two runs with a triple down the left field line, and then junior Hannah Mehrle singled up the middle to make it 3-0.
Sophomore Maggie Clapp was in control through the first three innings on the mound, but WashU's defense committed two errors in the fourth. The Bluejays had the first two batters reach base on errors, and then Erica Burney broke up the no-hitter with a three-run homerun to left center to tie the score at 3-3.
WashU answered back with nine runs on eight hits in the fourth to break open the game. Hang drove in the first run with an RBI groundout, and then Mehrle tripled down the left field line to push across another run. Junior Janet Taylor followed with an RBI single, and then Clapp helped herself by driving in two runs with a double to left.
Sophomore Ashley Madsen and senior Amanda Kalupa added RBI singles to round out the scoring.
Clapp (2-for-3, two RBIs, two runs scored), junior Kenzie James (2-for-2, two runs scored), Madsen (2-for-3, RBI, three runs scored), Mehrle (2-for-3, two RBIs, run scored) and Taylor (2-for-3, RBI, run scored) each had a multiple-hit game.
Clapp (1-0) picked up the win allowing one hit and one earned run in four innings pitched. Sophomore Mackenzie Gauden tossed an inning in relief. The Bears had 13 hits in the win.
#8 WashU 8, Hendrix 0
Pitkin (2-0) struck out 13 in the complete-game victory in game two. She has not allowed a run in 12 innings pitched this season with 24 strikeouts.
Senior Brooke Hofer was the story in game two for the Bears, who had 12 hits in the win. She went 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs and a run scored.
Hofer drove in the first run off the game in the second inning, and then WashU scored an unearned run in the third to make it 2-0. With the bases loaded with two outs in the fifth, she cleared the bases with a double down the right field line to push the advantage to 5-0.
WashU added two runs in the sixth on a two-RBI triple by Taylor to right field, and then picked up a run with an RBI single up the middle by Clapp.
James went for 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
WashU (4-0) opens a 16-game road trip in Florida with two contests on Saturday, March 5, at The Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. The Bears take on Bethany College (W.V) Saturday at 9 a.m. (ET).
BEAR NOTEBOOK: WashU is 24-1 all-time against Westminster and 11-1 against Hendrix … The Bears upped their all-time win total to 498, two shy of 500 … Mehrle recorded the eighth triple of her career, tied for third most in school history … Mehrle is hitting .769 with three triples and six RBIs in four games … The Bears hit .433 in the first four games … James upped her career hit total to 96, four shy of 100.