ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The No. 24 Washington University in St. Louis softball team swept Wartburg on Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader at home. The Bears are 4-0 on the year.
 
Game 1: WashU 10, Wartburg 2
The Bears put up three runs in the bottom of the first. Senior Sydney Schneider singled to third, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch to lead off the inning. First-year Emmy May doubled to left center, scoring Schneider for the 1-0 lead.
 
In the next at-bat, sophomore Harper Nix singled up the middle, bringing in May. Junior Kennedy Grippo singled through the left side and went on to score on a triple down the right field line from senior Jamie Cendana for a 3-0 Bears' lead.
 
Senior Alexa Hanish hit a one-out single up the middle and stole second to start the second inning. She moved up on a ground out from junior pitcher Maria Brooks and scored on a single to short by first-year Julia Sullo.
 
Sullo stole second and scored as May drilled a double to right center. Nix drove in the final run of the inning with a single to left field, scoring May for the 6-0 lead.
 
In the top of the third inning, Wartburg got on the board. Liz Kruckenberg led off with a single and stole second. She moved to third on a Reagan Hassel fly out to center and scored on a Bella Mulder single to center for the 6-1 game.
 
The Bears added a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sullo led off with a single, stole second and advanced to third on the throw. Nix drove in Sullo with a single up the middle for a 7-1 lead.
 
Wartburg added another run in the top of the fifth inning. Kruckenberg led off with a single to left field and Hassel bunted to third and advanced to second on the throw. Ally Happ was hit by a pitch and Jenna Wiebenga singled to left field to score Hassel to make it 7-2.
 
WashU ended things in the bottom of the fifth inning. First-year Austen Kinney led off with a single up the middle. Junior Julia Nicholus singled through the left side and Hanish doubled to center, scoring Kinney. Brooks grounded out to second, scoring Nicholus and Sullo drove in the game-ending run with a single through the left side, scoring Hanish. Sullo's hit would have been an in-the-park homer if the eight-run-rule didn't go into effect.
 
Sullo went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Nix finished 3-for-3 with three RBI while Hanish finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. May went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
 
Brooks earned the win in the circle, pitching a complete game with six hits, two runs and six strikeouts.
 
Game 2: WashU 8, Wartburg 7
The Knights put up two runs in the top of the first inning. Hassel led off with a walk and Happ laid down a bunt single. Both runners stole a base, scoring Hassel for the first run of the game. Mulder doubled to left, scoring Happ to put Wartburg up 2-0 early.
 
The Bears scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning as May led off with a triple to left field. First-year Olivia Lauber hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring May to make it a 2-1 game.
 
Wartburg added three more runs in the top of the fifth inning. Kruckenberg reached on an error with one out and Amanda Strzyzewski reached on an error. Following a Bears' pitching change, Hassel tripled to center, scoring both runners. Happ followed with another triple, scoring Hassel to make it 5-1.
 
WashU tied the game in the bottom of the fifth and went on to take a lead. Hanish led off with a double to left center and junior Elena Locascio doubled down the left line, scoring Hanish. Grippo drew a walk and Sullo tripled to left, scoring both runners. Junior Kristina Donaldson singled to center, with Sullo scoring and tying the game at 5-5. Donaldson stole second and moved up to third on a fly out by Schneider. Nix singled to right, scoring Donaldson for the 6-5 lead.
 
The Bears added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Locascio drew a one-out walk and Sullo hit a two-out single up the middle. Donaldson doubled to center, scoring Locascio and Sullo to put WashU ahead 8-5.
 
Wartburg had a two-run rally in the top of the seventh inning. Happ led off with a single to right center and Mulder doubled down the left line. Wiebenga grounded out, scoring Happ. Hannah Hoefer singled to second, scoring Mulder.
 
With a runner in scoring position, first-year Jessi Szafoni struck out the final batter of the inning to preserve the win for the Bears.
 
Sullo went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored while Donaldson was 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored. Locascio finished 2-for-2 with one RBI and two runs scored.
 
Szafoni came on in relief to earn the win, allowing seven hits, three runs and striking out one.
 
The Bears are home again next Sunday, March 1 with a doubleheader against Grinnell beginning at 12 p.m.
 
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