From Washington University Athletics
Freshman Taylor Arends drilled a pitch off the left field fence with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to drive in a pair of runs as the No. 13-ranked Washington University in St. Louis softball team rallied for a 6-4 win over DePauw University Saturday at the IWU Invitational Saturday in Bloomington, Ill.
WashU had its four-game win streak snapped in a 2-1 loss to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the opener.
UW-La Crosse 2, #13 WashU 1
The Bears put together four hits in the third inning, but managed to push across just one run. Sophomore Maggie Clapp led off the inning with a single, and then junior Halle Steinberg sent a pitch off the right field wall. With the bases loaded and two outs, junior Janet Taylor ripped a pitch to right to drive in a run.
The lead did not last long as senior Annie Pitkin allowed a solo homerun to left to tie the score at 1-1. UWL (15-8) put together a two-out rally in the fifth, and took the lead after Emily Holldorf drove in a run on an RBI single to short.
WashU put two runners on in the seventh but could score the tying run. The Bears left nine runners on base.
Pitkin (15-4) tossed a complete game allowing five hits and two earned runs. She struck out seven and walked two. James was 3-for-4 with a stolen base, while Clapp was 2-for-2 as WashU had nine hits in the loss.
#13 WashU 6, DePauw 4 – Nine Innings
DePauw (11-12) scored an unearned run in the second off Clapp as the Bears were held hitless for the first 5 1/3 innings. The Tigers added a run in the fourth and the fifth to jump in front 3-0.
Taylor broke up the no-hitter with a single to left with one out in the sixth, and then came around to score on a two-out RBI single to right by Hofer. DePauw committed its third error of the game, which allowed another run to score in the sixth to make it 3-2.
After sophomore Melinique Walls walked to load the bases, sophomore Ashley Madsendrove in the tying run with an infield single to make it 3-3.
Clapp took the no-decision after allowing nine hits and three runs (two earned) in five innings pitched. Pitkin replaced Clapp after the Bears tied the game in the sixth.
Steinberg doubled to give the Bears a 4-3 lead in the eighth, but DePauw scored an unearned run off Pitkin to tie the game at 4-4.
Madsen was placed on second base to start the ninth, and then moved to third on a sacrifice by junior Hannah Mehrle. After Taylor was hit by a pitch, Arends provide the game-winning hit.
Pitkin was lights out of the bullpen allowing two hits and one unearned run in four innings pitched. She also struck out seven. Taylor was 1-for-2 with two runs scored and was on base four times as WashU was limited to five hits.
WashU (26-8) closes out a 10-game road trip with a pair of games at Greenville College on Thursday, April. 14. Game one is set to begin at 3 p.m.
BEAR NOTEBOOK: Taylor has hit safely in 21-straight games and reached base in 28 straight … Hofer played in her 172nd career game, fourth most in school history and six shy of school record … Taylor moved into eighth place in school history in walks (46) … Pitkin appeared in both games to increase her total to 114, four shy of the school record … The Bears are 3-0 in extra innings … DePauw made 24 subs in a game that lasted 2:55.