From Washington University Athletics
The No. 2-ranked Washington University in St. Louis softball team rebounded from its first two losses of the season with a 7-3 win over Case Western Reserve University Thursday at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship Tournament in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
WashU recorded 10 hits in the win and took advantage of five Case (6-9, 1-4 UAA) errors. Junior Hannah Mehrle went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and upped her team-leading average to. 643, while freshman Josi Elder was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Freshman Taylor Arends added a 1-for-4 performance with two RBIs and two runs scored.
WashU fell behind for the third-straight after Case scored a pair off runs off senior Annie Pitkin in the top of the first inning. The Bears answered right back in the bottom half of the inning scoring three runs, highlighted by Elder's RBI single to left.
Elder had another big hit in the third inning as she laced a single to left center scoring sophomore Anna McKee to push WashU's lead to 5-2.
The Bears continued to pour it on as Arends drove in two runs with a single to right center in the fourth to make it 7-2.
Pitkin was locked in for the rest of the contest, retiring nine-straight batters at one point. She improved to 7-1 with a complete-game victory allowing five hits and three earned runs with eight strikeouts.
WashU (11-2, 3-2 UAA) begins the second half of UAA play with a pair of games Friday, March 11, against Brandeis University at 10 a.m. (ET) and New York University at 1 p.m. The Bears are in a tie with Brandeis for second place in the UAA.
BEAR NOTEBOOK: WashU is 101-34 (.748) all-time at the UAA Championship … The Bears have recorded double-digit hits in nine of 13 games played … Pitkin pitched in her 100th career game … She moved into third place in school history in innings pitched (493.2) and fourth in complete games (44) … Mehrle leads the UAA Championship in batting average (.588), hits (10) and runs scored (eight) … WashU leads the tournament field in fielding percentage (.969).