ST. LOUIS, Mo. – After a shutout in game one, the RV Washington University in St. Louis baseball team walked off in the bottom of the ninth in game two to complete the doubleheader sweep on Saturday against Wisc.-Stevens Point, 5-0 and 10-9. With the wins, the Bears improve to 7-1 on the season.
Game 1: WashU 5, UWSP 0
It seemed like for the longest time that neither team would score until WashU broke through in the bottom of the sixth.
With one out, first-year Will Taigen singled up the middle and advanced to third on a double by graduate Josh Erpenbeck. A deep enough sacrifice fly to right field by sophomore Anthony Equale allowed Taigen to score and put the Bears ahead 1-0.
The seventh inning saw WashU break open the game with a trio of runs. First-year Ryan Soong led off with a single before a Pointer fielding error saw runners on first and second. Another error by the Pointers, who threw down to second with no fielders near the base, allowed graduate Colter Couillard-Rodak to reach second on the error and continue onto third while Soong scored off the error.
Junior Shane Pellegrino followed with a single down the right field line that allowed Couillard-Rodak to score from third. After Pellegrino stole second and advanced to third on a flyout by graduate Noah Reichman, sophomore Miles Birke singled up the middle, scoring Pellegrino for the third Bears' run of the inning, increasing the WashU lead to 4-0.
Back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the eighth by sophomore Anthony Equale and first-year Kevin Stephens gave the Bears the final run of game one, as WashU held on for the 5-0 win.
Pellegrino went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Bears in the game, while eight different Bears collected a hit. Overall, WashU had the 13-6 lead in hits.
Junior Miles Quemuel-Labrador got the win on the mound in 2.2 innings of relief. He struck out two while walking none. Starting pitcher sophomore Townsend Stevenson pitched the first 4.1 innings, striking out nine and walking two.
Game 2: WashU 10, UWSP 9
The Bears once again got on the board first, much sooner than game one as Soong would come around and score after leading off with a single up the middle and stealing second. With two outs, Reichman singled to left center, allowing Soong to put the Bears ahead 1-0.
The Pointers got their first runs of the day in the top of the second with a pair, taking their first lead 2-1. They then tripled their lead with another two runs in the top of the third, increasing their lead to 4-1.
After a scoreless fourth, UWSP nearly doubled their run total with three runs in the top of the fifth for the 7-1 lead. The Bears answered this time immediately.
Equale led off the bottom of the frame with his first home run of the season down the left field line, cutting the UWSP lead down to 7-2. A single by Stephens was followed by a double by Soong, putting runners in scoring position at second and third with no outs. A single by Couillard-Rodak to right field trickled into the corner allowing both baserunners to score, cutting the Bears' deficit down to just three, 7-4.
WashU got back within just one run in the bottom of the sixth of a pair of runs. Senior Braden Mazone led off with a single and advanced to second on a groundout to third. A deep single by Erpenbeck, who was pinch-hitting, allowed Mazone to come around and score. After Erpenbeck stole second, Stephens would hit a single up the middle, allowing Erpenbeck to score the second run of the frame as WashU trailed 7-6.
Just as it looked like the Bears would come back in the seventh, the Pointers held them scoreless before adding two more to their own total in the top of the eighth, pushing their lead back up to three, 9-6.
Down to their final three outs in the bottom of the ninth and trailing by three, the Bears would see an incredible comeback. Soong led off with a double down the left field line and was followed by a single down the same line that saw Soong reach third.
Pellegrino followed with a shallow ball to the shortstop that was way over-thrown to second for an error that saw Soong score and Couillard-Rodak reach third, and Pellegrino advance to second. After a fly out, Mazone singled to right field, allowing both baserunners to score, tying the game up at 9-9 with just one out. Taigen helped out his teammates with a single up the middle, putting runners on first and second. Erpenbeck then stepped up and knocked a deep double to center that reached the wall and scored Mazone from second, completing the comeback, 10-9.
Soong led WashU at the plate in game two, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored. Couillard-Rodak, Mazone, Erpenbeck, and Stephens each had a pair of hits as the Bears out-hit the Pointers 15-8 in hits.
Junior Josh Holt got his first collegiate decision with a win in relief, pitching the final 0.1 innings, inducing a pop fly foul to third base.
WashU and UWSP will play the series finale on Sunday, March 9. Prior to the start of the contest, the Bears will recognize their seven seniors with a special ceremony. The first pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
