LA VERNE, Calif. – The Washington University in St. Louis softball team split with the University of La Verne on Saturday. The Bears are now 11-4 on the season as they head into the final doubleheader before beginning UAA play next weekend.

Game 1: WashU 12, La Verne 9 (8 innings)
La Verne scored in the bottom of the first inning to go up 2-0. Angelina Alderete singled to third and stole second. Julia Miramontes singled to short, putting runners on the corners before stealing second. Ashley Rodriguez scored Alderete on a grounder to second before Raegan Hallett singled to right to score Miramontes.

The Leopards added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, Mackenzie Johnson singled to right field and scored on an Aries Alonso double to right, giving La Verne a 3-0 lead.

WashU scored its first run of the game in the top of the fifth inning as junior Sydney Schneider hit a lead-off homer to right field.

The Leopards made it a 4-1 game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Alderete singled through the left side and stole second. Miramontes reached base on a fielding error and Rodriguez drew a walk to load the bases. Alyssa Campbell hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Alderete.

The Bears put up two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Senior Taylor Geluck hit a one-out single to third and graduate senior Dawson Dabboussi reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs, sophomore Jamie Cendana, who came on to run for Geluck, and first-year Emma Dow, who came on to run for Dabboussi, both advanced on a wild pitch. Schneider singled and advanced to second on the throw, scoring Cendana and Dow for a 4-3 game.

In the top of the seventh, the Bears exploded for five runs to take an 8-4 lead. Senior Maggie Baumstark led off with a homer to left field. Senior Brooke Capparelli hit a one-out single to second base and sophomore Julia Nicholus drew a walk.

Dabboussi singled to right, scoring Capparelli for a 5-4 lead, the Bears' first lead of the game. Sophomore Kennedy Grippo singled up the middle, scoring Nicholus. Schneider drew a walk to load the bases and first-year Harper Nix doubled to left center, scoring Christina Smith, who came on to run for Dabboussi, and Grippo.

La Verne came out in the bottom of the seventh to score four runs and tie the game, forcing extra innings. Cassandra Gilbert drew a lead-off walk and Alderete singled through the left side. Annica Luna singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw, scoring Sydney Diaz, who came on to run for Gilbert. Rodriguez tripled to left center, scoring Alderete and Luna. Campbell followed with a single down the left line, bringing in Rodriguez for an 8-8 game.

WashU scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning. Due to extra inning rules, Baumstark was placed on second. Senior Erin Reardon reached base on a fielding error to put runners on the corners. Capparelli was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.

Nicholus doubled to right center, scoring all three runners for an 11-8 game. Geluck followed with a single to right and stole second. Schneider singled to right field and advanced to second on the throw, scoring Nicholus.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, La Verne started with Alonso on second. Alexis Keifer laid down a sacrifice bunt and Diaz scored Natalie Serrano, who came on to run for Alonso.

Geluck went 4-for-5 and Schneider finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and one run scored. Reardon was 2-for-4 with one run and Nicholus finished 1-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored.

Senior pitcher Jamie Burgasser picked up her sixth win of the season, pitching two innings of relief with one hit and no earned runs.

Game 2: La Verne 7, WashU 1
The Leopards scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Alderete drew a lead-off walk, stole second and advanced to third on a fielding error. Diaz drew a walk and stole second, and Alderete went on to score on a Rodriguez groundout.

The Bears tied things up, 1-1, in the top of the second inning. Geluck led off with a single up the middle and moved to second on a Schneider groundout. Grippo reached base on a fielding error and Geluck scored on the error.

La Verne came out to score five runs in the bottom of the second. Hallett led off with a single up the middle and Johnson followed with a single up the middle. Janelle Vega drew a walk to load the bases. Miramontes reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on an error. Both Hallett and Johnson scored on the play. Alderete scored Vega on a grounder to second. With two outs, Rodriguez hit a two-run homer to left center, making it a 6-1 game.

The Leopards scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the third inning. Gilbert singled to right center and Johnson drew a one-out walk. Vega put down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners and Gilbert scored on a Miramontes fielder's choice.

Geluck went 2-for-3 with one run scored. Sophomore Hattie Bond took the loss in the circle, pitching 1.2 innings with three hits and four earned runs.

The Bears wrap up their spring break trip tomorrow with a doubleheader at Whittier beginning at 10 a.m. PT.