PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The RV Washington University in St. Louis softball team swept Carnegie Mellon on Sunday to close out the series, winning it 3-1. The Bears are now 23-9 with a 12-4 mark in conference play.
Game 1: WashU 9, CMU 6
The Bears tied the UAA single-game record for six homeruns in a game in the win.
WashU started off hot, putting up four runs in the top of the first inning.
Erin Reardon led off with a double to left and
Sydney Schneider followed with a homerun to right center for a quick 2-0 lead. Natali Pilpil singled to center and
Taylor Geluck reached base on a fielder's choice.
Payton Irwin then drilled the second homer of the inning, scoring Geluck to make it a 4-0 game for the Bears.
The Tartans came out in the bottom of the third inning to score three runs. Faith Lawrence led off with a homerun to left center to make it a 4-1 game. Libby Eichberger singled and then advanced to second on an error before Kiera Boucher hit a bunt single to third and then stole second. Maddy Beall reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Eichberger and Boucher stole home for the third run of the inning to make it 4-3.
WashU put up two more runs in the top of the fourth inning.
Ashley Kennedy homered to center to make it a 5-3 game. With one out,
Maggie Baumstark homered to left field to put the Bears up 6-3.
The Bears made it an 8-3 game in the top of the fifth inning. Pilpil led off with a homerun to left field and Geluck immediately followed with a homerun to center.
WashU scored its final run in the top of the seventh. Pilpil singled up the middle and Geluck doubled down the leftfield line. With two outs,
Kennedy Grippo singled to left, scoring
Emily Talkow, who came on to run for Geluck.
Carnegie Mellon scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Boucher led off with a single up the middle and then stole second. Beall singled up the middle, scoring Boucher. Maya Goodwin drilled a two-run homer to left to make it 9-6.
Pilpil went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored while Geluck finished 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Grippo was 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Jordan Rossi earned the win in the circle, pitching a complete game with nine hits, six runs, two walks and one strikeout.
Game 2: WashU 8, CMU 1
The Bears once again came out with a strong first inning, scoring six runs. Reardon led off with a single to short, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Schneider drew a walk and stole second before Pilpil singled to left center, scoring both runners.
Alexa Hanish followed with a homer to right center to make it a 4-0 game.
Grippo singled up the middle and then stole second, followed by an
Ashley Kennedy single to right field to score Grippo. Kennedy moved up on a passed ball and
Brooke Capparelli singled and advanced to second on the throw, moving Kennedy to third. Baumstark drew a walk and Reardon singled to left, scoring Kennedy for a 6-0 lead.
The Bears added another run in the top of the second inning. Pilpil doubled to left and
Jamie Cendana came in to run for her, advancing to third on a wild pitch. Hanish reached on a fielder's choice and Grippo singled to right center. Grippo advanced to second on a wild pitch and Hanish scored on a throwing error to put WashU up 7-0.
WashU scored its final run in the top of the fourth inning. Schneider singled to third and then stole second, before moving to third on a Cendana ground out.
Olivia Craycraft reached based on a fielder error, scoring Schneider for the 8-0 lead.
The Tartans scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning as Goodwin homered to center.
Reardon finished 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored while Pilpil went 2-for-2 with two RBI and one run scored. Grippo was 2-for-3 with one run scored.
Jamie Burgasser earned the win in the circle, pitching a complete game with five hits, one run and two walks.
The Bears return next weekend for the final regular-season home series against Emory. Action is slated to begin at 3 p.m. on Friday.
