From Washington University Athletics
Sophomore Maggie Clapp and senior Annie Pitkin each turned in a pair of solid pitching performances to lead the No. 6-ranked Washington University in St. Louis softball team to a pair of wins Sunday at the Central College Invitational in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Clapp allowed five hits and one unearned run in the complete game 7-1 win over University of Dubuque in game one. Pitkin followed suit in game two with 13 strikeouts in a complete game 2-1 win over Buena Vista University.
Junior Janet Taylor went 5-for-8 with a home run and three RBIs in the sweep. Taylor took over the team lead with 31 RBIs, and has hit safely in 17-consecutive games and reached base in 23 straight.
#6 WashU 7, Dubuque 1
Clapp struck out six and walked one to record the fourth complete game off her career. She has allowed just two earned runs in the last 25 innings pitched.
After a scoreless three innings, Taylor led off the fourth with a solo homerun to center. The HR for Taylor was her team-leading fourth of the year. Senior Brooke Hofer followed with a double off the left field fence, and then came around to score on an RBI single by sophomore Anna McKee.
WashU put the game out of reach scoring four runs on four hits in the fifth. Junior Hannah Mehrle drove in a run with a wind-blown RBI double to left to make it 3-0, and then Hofer doubled off the left field fence to drive in two more runs. McKee doubled down the left field line to push the advantage to 6-0.
Hofer doubled for the third time off the left field fence in the seventh to drive in freshman Taylor Arends to make it 7-0.
Hofer went 3-for-4 with three doubles, two RBIs and a two runs scored, while Taylor was 3-for-4 with a home run, RBI and two runs scored. The Bears took advantage of the 30 mile-per-hour wind to left to record 13 hits, including six extra-base hits.
#6 WashU 2, Buena Vista 1
Tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh, junior Kenzie James beat a throw home on a groundball to first from Taylor as the Bears walked off the win in game two.
Taylor was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while James was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. The Bears had six hits in the win.
Both teams struggled to get runners on base early in the contest with the 30 mile per hour wind blowing in from right field. WashU finally broke through in the third, taking advantage of some small ball. James led off the inning with a bunt single, and then moved to second on a passed ball. James scored after Taylor ripped a single to right center.
It remained a one-run game until the sixth, when Buena Vista (11-10) put together a two-out rally against Pitkin to tie the score after an RBI double by Keely Bycroft.
Pitkin (14-3) allowed six hits and one earned run as she tossed the 52nd complete game of her career. Pitkin also picked up the 700th strikeout of her career in the win. She is the active NCAA Division III strikeout leader with 707.
WashU (23-7) continues its 10-game road trip next weekend with four contests at the Illinois Wesleyan Tournament in Bloomington, Ill. The Bears open tournament play against Hope College (Noon) and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (2:15 p.m.) on Friday.
BEAR NOTEBOOK: Hofer tied the WashU single-game school record with three doubles in game one … Taylor leads the team with 10 multiple RBI and 15 multiple hit games ... Hofer played in her 168th game, seventh most in school history … James scored four runs on the day, and is one shy of 100 for her career.