WHITTIER, Calif. – The Washington University in St. Louis softball team swept Whittier on Sunday afternoon to close out its spring break trip. The Bears return home with a 13-4 record as they get ready to open UAA play.

Game 1: WashU 4, Whittier 1
The Bears took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third. With one out, senior Maggie Baumstark reached first on an error. Senior Erin Reardon drilled a two-run homer, bringing in Baumstark, for the 2-0 lead. With two outs, senior Natalia Pilpil singled up the middle, and senior Taylor Geluck followed with another single up the middle. Junior Sydney Schneider singled to left and advanced to second on the throw, scoring Pilpil.

Whittier scored its lone run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Maya Palos led off with a single up the middle. Arianna Salazar doubled down the right-field line and advanced to third on the throw. Daniella Contreras reached first on an error, scoring Salazar for the 3-1 game.

WashU posted its final run in the top of the fifth inning. Reardon reached base on an error to lead things off, and sophomore Kennedy Grippo reached base on an error by the pitcher before stealing second. Pilpil hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Reardon.

Pilpil finished 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI. Reardon went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Geluck was 2-for-3. Schneider finished 1-for-3 with one RBI.

Sophomore Maria Brooks picked up her first win of the season in the circle, pitching a complete game with three hits, one run, four strikeouts, and one walk.

Game 2: WashU 6, Whittier 2
Whittier came out to score two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Kelly Nutter was hit by a pitch to lead off. With one out, Palos was also hit by a pitch. Salazar singled up the middle to load the bases, and Alyssa Bolden reached base on a fielder's choice as the Bears got the force out at home. Both Palos and Salazar went on to score on a wild pitch for the 2-0 lead.

The Bears posted four runs in the top of the third inning. Baumstark led off with a single through the left side, and Reardon reached on a fielder's choice. Senior Brooke Capparelli singled to short, and Pilpil singled to right center to load the bases. Geluck singled up the middle, scoring Reardon for the Bears' first run of the game.

Graduate senior Dawson Dabboussi doubled to left center to score both Capparelli and Pilpil, prompting a new pitcher for the Poets. Schneider singled up the middle, scoring Geluck to make it a 4-2 game.

In the top of the sixth inning, junior Alexa Hanish led off with a single through the left side. Baumstark laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Hanish. Reardon doubled to right field to put two runners in scoring position, and first-year Emma Down singled to left, scoring Hanish for a 5-2 Bears' lead.

WashU added one more run in its final at-bat. With two outs, Grippo doubled to left center and went on to score on a Hanish single through the left side.

Pilpil finished 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Hanish went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Reardon was 2-for-4 with one run, and Geluck went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.

Senior Jamie Burgasser earned the win, pitching a complete game with four hits, two runs, no walks, and four strikeouts.

The Bears are back home on Friday and Saturday to open the UAA schedule against Case Western Reserve University. The first game is slated for 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon, followed by a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday, which will serve as The Hidden Opponent (THO) game.