ST. LOUIS, Mo. – It did not take a large number of runs for the RV Washington University in St. Louis baseball team to win both ends of a doubleheader to complete the series sweep of Brandeis on Sunday at Kelly Field. Not only did they win all four games against the Judges, they did so by not allowing a run in either of the final two games.
The last time the Bears had back-to-back shutouts was March 1 and March 4 of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with two, 10-0 wins over Illinois Tech and MacMurray. Going back further, the last time WashU had a back-to-back doubleheader shutout was also against Brandeis on April 23, 2017, with 1-0 and 8-0 victories.
Game 3: WashU 4, Brandeis 0
Kicking things off on Sunday, WashU welcomed the family of former basketball player Justin Hardy, who passed away in May 2022 after a battle with stomach cancer. As part of recognizing the day as the HardyStrong games, Justin's sister Jackie threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Once the action got started, it was in the bottom of the fourth when the Bears were able to get on the board with a single run. Graduate
Colter Couillard-Rodak led off the frame with a walk and reached second on a single by graduate
Noah Reichman through the left side. Junior
Shane Pellegrino sacrificed bunted both base runners over to put runners on second and third with just one out. First-year Cooper Green followed with a groundout to second, but it allowed Couillard-Rodak to score and put the Bears ahead 1-0.
Two innings later in the bottom of the sixth, WashU added an insurance run. With one out, Pellegrino walked and stole second. A triple by Green to right-center allowed Pellegrino to score and give the Bears the 2-0 lead.
The next inning WashU would double its lead for the second inning in a row as first-year
Kevin Stephens hit a single to third base with one out. Senior
Brandon Buday followed with a single through the left side and advanced to second when the Judges attempted to throw out Stephens who raced to third.
Couillard-Rodak loaded the bases with a walk and Reichman walked in a Stephens. Pellegrino would fly out to left field, but it allowed Buday to come in and score and put the Bears ahead by four. Brandeis only sent three batters to the plate in each of the eighth and ninth innings as the Bears closed out the game for the 4-0 win.
Reichman finished the game going two-for-three with a double and RBI. Green closed out the contest with his triple and a pair of RBIs.
Junior
Isaac Zhang (3-1) picked up the complete game shutout with seven strikeouts and just four hits.
Game 4: WashU 1, Brandeis 0
The final game in the UAA series was the least like the rest of the contests. Only one run was scored in the nine-inning game.
It looked like the Judges might get on the board first in the second inning as they had the bases loaded with two outs, but first-year
Levi Gingerich picked up a strikeout from the mound to prevent any runs from scoring.
It was the bottom of the fifth inning when the Bears were able to push their run across home plate. First-year
Will Taigen led off with a walk before the Judges got an out. A single by sophomore
Miles Birke through the left side put runners on the corners.
Stephens followed with a sacrifice bunt down along the first base path that he nearly beat out. However, on the throw to get him out, Taigen was able to race home and score what would become the game-winning run.
Both teams had opportunities to score, but neither was able to push a run across in the final four innings as the Bears completed the doubleheader shutout sweep, 1-0.
Both Reichman and Birke each had two of the six WashU hits.
Gingerich (1-2) picked up the win in 6.0 innings of work with seven strikeouts. Sophomore
Owen Block earned his first save of the season, pitching the final 2.0 innings and striking out five.
WashU will play its final home game of the regular season on Tuesday, April 22, when Webster comes to Kelly Field for a single game. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
