Box Score St. Louis, Mo. – The Washington University in St. Louis baseball team fell 6-5 to Illinois Wesleyan in Sunday's three-game series finale at Kelly Field in non-conference play.
With the loss, the Bears move to 1-5 on the year and the Titans move to 2-5 and claim the series win.
Illinois Wesleyan scored two early runs in the first and third frames, holding a 2-0 advantage, but Bo Anderson connected on an RBI single to center to put WashU on the board, scoring Tim Van Kirk in the bottom of the third.
After the Titans extended their lead out to 3-1 following an RBI groundout in the fourth, it was Anderson who sparked the Bears' bats again in the fifth with an RBI double to left center, which scored Brandon Buday, cutting the lead down to 3-2.
The Bears tied up the game in the sixth following a bases loaded walk. Primed to take the lead with the baes juiced, Van Kirk' sacrifice fly moments later scored Magnus Dunn for a 4-3 Bears advantage.
WashU was unable to add more runs to its lead in the inning, stranding two baserunners. In total, the Bears left 13 runners on the base path throughout Sunday afternoon.
Kyle Coates, who pitched in relief of starter Austin Sachen, delivered three consecutive shutout innings as he was in cruise control, blanking IWU from the fifth-through-seventh innings.
However, in the top of the 8th, the Titans would score three runs on four hits to take a 6-4 lead. Illinois Wesleyan recorded three straight singles and tied up the game at 4-4 on an RBI hit to center.
The Titans' two other runs came via a fielder's choice RBI and an RBI single up the middle.
In the bottom of the eighth, WashU used a two-out rally to slice the lead down to 6-5 after Anderson knocked home his third hit and third RBI of the contest, scoring Buday for the second time on the day.
IWU threatened to add on to its lead in the ninth, but Matt Lopes recorded three straight outs in relief.
WashU had a runner in scoring position with one out in the ninth as they looked to tie up the game, but the Bears would go down on back-to-back strikeouts.
WashU's offense totaled nine hits on the day, as four Bears collected multi-hit games: (Brandon Buday, Magnus Dunn, Bo Anderson, Broghan O'Connor).
Anderson led WU with a 3-5 effort at the plate, including a double and three RBI.
WashU is back in action on March 12 against Wheaton (Mass.) for the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational in Auburndale, Fla.
