CONWAY, Ark. - With runners on second and third with no one out in the top of the ninth, senior
Clayton Miller struck out the side to preserve the come from behind opening day victory for the (RV) Washington University in St. Louis baseball team. The Bears scored all their runs in the seventh inning to earn the one-run, 3-2, win over (RV) Centenary College, Saturday, February 17.
With the opening day victory, WashU's record sits at 1-0, while Centenary's record dipped to 1-3 on the year.
As a team, the Bear compiled six hits, compared to Centenary's 10. WashU's offense was led by junior
Brandon Buday and senior
Kaden Bernhard as both outfielders recorded a pair of hits to begin the season. Junior
Braden Mazone and graduate student
Evan Minarovic each notched a hit.
On the mound, first year
Parker Guthrie toed the rubber for his first colligate appearance and start. Guthrie, who took a no decision, fired 3.2 innings of work, fanned five, scattered five hits, and allowed two runs.
Out of the Bear bullpen, graduate student
Matt Lopes logged 4.1 innings of scoreless ball. Lopes, who earned the win on the mound (1-0), gave up just four hits on 63 pitches.
Miller registered the save with his trio of strikeouts to secure the win.
After a scoreless opening frame, Centenary got on the board with a solo homerun in the second to stake the early, 1-0, lead.
In the bottom half of the second, Bernhard laced a two out single and then swiped second to put himself in scoring position. However, Centenary got out of trouble to thwart the early chance for the Bears.
Guthrie struck out the side in the top of the third to get WashU back into the dugout. In the bottom of the third, the Bears generated some traffic on the bases, putting runners on first and second, but could not scratch across a run. With three innings in the books, Centenary held the 1-0 cushion.
Centenary added a run, on two hits, in the fourth to generate the 2-0 advantage. With the bases loaded and two outs, Lopes got out of the jam with a line drive out to first.
Both pitchers secured quick fifth and sixth innings of play as Centenary clung to a two-run lead heading to the seventh inning.
Lopes worked around a one out, runner on second situation with two harmless groundouts to send the game to the bottom of the seventh.
WashU's offense sprung for three runs, on three hits, in the bottom of the seventh. Bernhard led off the frame with a sharp single up the middle. After a fly out, Minarovic cracked a single to put two on, with just one away.
Following a pop out, sophomore
Shane Pellegrino walked to load the bases. After laying off several tough offerings, graduate student
Sam Polk recorded a walk to push across WashU's first run of the game and to put the score at 2-1.
Senior
Harry Mauterer stepped up to the plate and reached on a fielder's choice. Centenary misplayed the chance, allowing the tying and game-winning runs to cross the plate to give WashU the 3-2 lead.
After a scoreless eighth, Centenary manufactured second and third with no one out. Miller then closed the door with three straight strikeouts as WashU took the 2024 season opener by a final score of 3-2.
The Bears will remain in Conway, Ark. for a doubleheader against Hendrix College, tomorrow, Sunday, February 18. Action from Warrior Baseball Field is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
