ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The No. 24 Washington University in St. Louis softball team began the 2026 season with a sweep of Illinois College on Sunday afternoon.
Game 1: WashU 8, IC 1
The Lady Blues got on the board in the second inning. With one out, Elysia Hand drew a walk and then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Bella Thien drew a walk and Hand stole home for the 1-0 lead.
The Bears had a big fifth inning, scoring seven runs. Junior
Elena Locascio led off with a double to left and stole third. Junior
Kennedy Grippo drew a walk before stealing second and giving Locascio time to score the tying run.
Senior
Jamie Cendana reached on a throwing error by third base and then moved up to third, scoring Grippo. Senior
Sydney Schneider reached on a fielder's choice and Cendana scored for a 3-1 lead. First-year
Julia Sullo also reached base on a fielder's choice and Schneider moved to second. Both runners advanced a base and Schneider went on to score for a 4-1 edge.
After an IC pitching change, first-year
Jessi Szafoni singled up the middle, scoring Sullo. Senior
Alexa Hanish doubled to right center, scoring Donaldson, who came on to run for Szafoni. Junior
Julia Nicholus singled up the middle, scoring Hanish for the final run of the inning.
WashU added one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, first-year
Olivia Lauber doubled down the left field line and advanced to third on a Sullo single to second. Both runners stole a base, scoring Lauber for the 8-1 Bears' lead.
Hanish and Locascio each went 1-for-3 with one run scored. Nicholus and Harper both finished 1-for-3.
Szafoni earned her first collegiate win in the circle, allowing just two hits with five strikeouts and no earned runs.
Game 2: WashU 3, IC 2
The Lady Blues put up the first run again in the first inning. Cambria Currie drew a one-out walk and moved up on a Kendall Cole single before stealing third. Hand singled up the middle, scoring Currie for the 1-0 lead.
The Bears tied things up in the fourth inning as first-year
Emmy May drilled a lead-off homer over the left center for a 1-1 game.
Illinois College took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning as Gabby Miller hit an in-the-park homerun down the left field line.
The Bears rallied in the bottom of the seventh, starting with Schneider reaching base on an error. First-year
Katie Fung laid down a bunt and Cendana placed a sac bunt to the pitcher to put two runners in scoring position. Sullo doubled up the middle, scoring Schneider to tie things at 2-2.
First-year
Ava Peterson drew a walk before Grippo walked it off with a single up the middle to score Fung for the 3-2 win.
May went 2-for-2 with one RBI and one run scored. Locascio, Nix and Rushing finished 1-for-2.
Junior
Hattie Bond earned the win in the circle, pitching a complete game with four hits and four strikeouts.
The Bears are home again next weekend with a round robin featuring Wartburg, Greenville and Millikin. WashU takes on Wartburg at 1 p.m. and Greenville at 3 p.m. on Saturday, followed by Wartburg at 1 p.m. and Millikin at 3 p.m.
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Elevating scholar-champions requires resources beyond the institutional budget. Through the W Club, generous alumni, parents, and friends provide unrestricted support that is essential to the extraordinary WashU student-athlete experience—and the ongoing growth and development of the department. Annual support for Athletics allows the Bears to consistently rise to national levels of competition and ensures that our student-athletes enjoy exceptional opportunities as they train, compete, and lead. To make a gift to the Annual Fund for Athletics, please visit our secure online giving form or contact the Athletics Advancement Office at athletics@wustl.edu.
