Box Score Greencastle, Ind., May 9, 2015 – The No. 22-ranked Washington University in St. Louis softball team had its season come to an end with an 8-3 loss at No. 6-ranked Trine University Saturday in an elimination game at the 2015 DePauw Regional in Greencastle, Ind.
Trine scored all of its eight runs off homeruns, connecting on four long balls in the win. The Thunder entered the game leading NCAA Division III with 66 homeruns. WashU had nine hits and committed two errors in the loss.
Trine improved to 38-4 with the win, and advances to play Thomas More College Saturday at 6:30 p.m. (ET) in an elimination game. WashU concludes its season with a 33-13 overall record, its third-straight 30-win season and 10th in school history.
"It was a hard-fought game and we just got beat today. We tried to put some runs on the board, but it not enough," said 10th-year head coach Leticia Pineda-Boutté. " They capitalized on a couple errors and we just came up short today."
Trine started quickly in the top of the first inning after Carly Searles singled to left and then Kaitlyn Clark sent a pitch from junior pitcher Annie Pitkin over the left field fence to make it 2-0. The Thunder pushed the advantage to 7-0 scoring five runs on a pair of homeruns by Kendra Marshall and Amy Newell.
"It definitely takes a lot out of your sail when playing from behind," Pineda-Boutté added. "Its not easy for any team to work from behind. Its always nice to score first."
Pitkin (20-8) took the loss allowing five hits and five runs (three earned) in 2 1/3 innings pitched. She was replaced by freshman Maggie Clapp after the two-run homerun by Marshall and a single by Alicia Eavey.
The Bears got things in the top of the third after a leadoff single by senior Paige Biles. She was forced out at second by freshman Hera Tang, and then senior Adrienne White launched a two-run homerun to left to trim the lead to 7-2. The homerun for White was her 12th of the season, breaking the single-season school record set by Jamie Kressel in 2005 and 2007.
Sophomore Hannah Mehrle followed with a single to left and then the game entered a rain delay. After the 75-minute delay, sophomore Janet Taylor walked on four pitches and then junior Brooke Hofer popped up to end the threat.
"We were excited really going into the rain delay as we had the momentum," White said.
Kaylee Fox made it 8-2 with a solo HR to center in the fifth to push the advantage to 8-2. The HR for Fox was her 16th of the year, while the round tripper was Trine's 70th of the season. The Bears added a run in the seventh on a RBI groundout by Mehrle.
Tang was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in her first-career start at third base, while Biles was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Biles led off the seventh with a single for her 72nd hit of the season, tying Megan Fieser for the most in a single-season in school history.
Clapp pitched three innings in relief allowing five hits and three runs (one earned), while freshman Mackenzie Gauden allowed one hit in 1 2/3 innings.
Biles, senior Sydney Caldwell, senior Alyssa Wilson and White closed out their career with a 123-56 (.687) overall record in four seasons. The Class of 2015 posted four seasons of 25 or more wins, made three NCAA Tournament appearances and won the 2014 and 2015 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship.
"This senior class is very special. Not only are they great players, but they are great people," added Pineda-Boutté. "There leadership was very strong and very lucky to have these four seniors play for me."
White finished her career as one of the most decorated players in school history ranking first in career at-bats (551), third in runs scored (128) and hits (207), fourth in total bases (307), fifth in RBIs (134) and sixth in homeruns (18). Biles, who reached base in the final 39 games of the season, finished her career second in stolen bases (65).
BEAR NOTEBOOK: WashU is 24-26 all-time in 13 NCAA appearances … The Bears were swept in NCAA play for just the second time in school history … WashU lost back-to-back games for the third time this season … The Bears have a 2-1 record against Trine in the NCAA Tournament … Wilson started all 134 games of her career at shortstop, while Caldwell appeared in 155 contests.
