Memphis, Tenn., February 7, 2015 – The No. 21-ranked Washington University in St. Louis softball team opened the 2015 season with a split Saturday at the Rhodes College Classic in Memphis. Washington U. suffered a 5-1 loss to DePauw University in the opening game, and rebounded with an 11-0 win in five innings over Maryville College (Tenn.) in the second game.

Sophomore Janet Taylor was 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored, three RBIs and a walk in the two games, while senior Sydney Caldwell hit .800 (4-for-5) with a double and two RBIs. Washington U. hit .405 as a team and committed just one error in the two games.

DePauw 5, #21 Washington U. 1
The Bears scored in the top of the first inning against DePauw after sophomore Kenzie James reached on an error with one out. James stole second and then senior Adrienne White was hit-by-pitch. James scored after White was thrown out trying to steal second.

DePauw (1-0) tacked on two runs in the second after Taylor Golden took junior Annie Pitkin deep for a two-run home run. Washington U. had a golden chance to push across a run or more in the third after DePauw starting pitcher Kahla Nelson walked four batters in the inning. The Bears were unable to score as Nelson got a double play and a groundout to the end the threat. The Tigers added three runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to extend the advantage to 5-1.

Pitkin (0-1) tossed a complete game allowing six hits and five runs (four earned). She struck out five and walked two. Senior Paige Biles, Caldwell and Taylor each had a pair of hits for Washington U. The Bears had seven hits and left seven runners on base, and were 1-of-5 on stolen bases.

#21 Washington U. 11, Maryville (Tenn.) 0 – Five Innings
Freshman pitchers Anna McKee and Maggie Clapp combined for a three-hit shutout in game two. McKee (1-0) allowed three hits and struck out five in four innings, while Clapp pitched a perfect fifth inning. The Bears had 10 hits in the win, and six players drove in a run.

Washington U. jumped on Maryville (0-1) scoring three runs in the first on three hits and took advantage of a pair of walks. Taylor drove in the first two runs of the game with a double to right, and then Caldwell followed with a RBI single to center to make it 3-0.

The Bears pushed across five more runs in the second inning to extend the lead to 8-0 after RBIs from sophomore Hannah Mehrle, Taylor and Caldwell. Washington U. added three runs on three hits in the third inning, highlighted by an RBI groundout by freshman Melinique Walls in her first collegiate at-bat.

Caldwell was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Taylor was 1-for-1 with three RBIs and a run scored. Clapp and Mehrle added two hits in the win, while freshman Ashley Madsen picked up her first collegiate hit in the third.

Washington U. (1-1) returns to action Sunday, Feb. 8, with a pair of games against Maryville at 1 p.m. and Rhodes at 3 p.m.