St. Louis, Mo., March 24, 2021 – The No. 2 Washington University in St. Louis baseball team faced its first ranked opponent of the season, the No. 5 Webster Gorlocks for a single game on Wednesday. Senior Collin Kahal drove in the last run of the game in the 12th for a 4-3 win.

WashU improves to 9-0 while Webster dips to 8-2.

Playing to 12 innings is the longest played game since the May, 20, 2017 game versus Wartburg. Starting off the season 9-0 is a program first in at least 40 years.

WashU had potential to score with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, but were unable to make something happen. The game remained scoreless until the fourth inning. 

The Webster offense found its rhythm in the top of the fourth, scoring two runs off of two hits to the left side. Sophomore Kyle Coates came in to strike out the final batter of the inning for the third out, putting a stop to the Gorlocks' hot streak. 

The Bears countered back in the bottom of the inning. Junior Zac Styka earned a walk, followed by senior Troy Bauer's double to the right. Freshman Clayton Miller also earned himself a walk to load the bases with no outs. 

Facing the Gorlocks' third pitcher of the game, sophomore Hunter Goldberg's hit advanced Styka to home to make it a 2-1 game heading into the fifth. 

Both Webster and WashU found single runs in the fifth to up the score 3-2 in favor of the Gorlocks. Coates made for quick sixth and seventh innings, with six up and six down. 

Junior Bo Anderson tied up the game 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single. 

Senior Jared Fong stepped up to the mound in the eighth inning, recording two strikeouts and picked off a runner at third with the assistance of Miller. He tallied an additional two strikeouts in both the ninth and 11th innings. 

Kahal hit the game winner with a single to deep right that sent freshman Harry Mauterer home from second base, making the final score 4-3 in favor of the Bears. 

WashU is on the road this weekend for a doubleheader against Wabash on Saturday and a single game versus No. 7 North Central on Sunday.