ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Playing its first mid-week home contest, the No. 12 Washington University in St. Louis baseball team used a big seventh inning to come from behind and get back in the win column with an 8-5 win over Wis.-Platteville on Wednesday afternoon at Kelly Field.
The Bears got on the board early with a run in the bottom of the first inning. First-year
Chance Cromer was hit by the second pitch of the inning to put a runner on the bases. After a flyout, junior
Anthony Equale singled down the right field line, allowing Cromer to safely reach third. Cromer completed his trip around the bases and scored on a sacrifice fly by first-year
Jacob Witte down the right field line to put WashU ahead 1-0.
The Pioneers answered immediately in the top of the 2nd with a solo home run by Mason Molitor. Then UWP took the lead in the top of the third, leading off with two singles before a sacrifice fly scored another run to put the visitors ahead 2-1.
WashU tied the score 2-2 in the bottom of the third as Cromer led off with a triple down the right field line and then scored when sophomore
Ryan Soong hit a deep ball to right field for a sacrifice fly.
After a scoreless fourth, the Bears scored a pair of runs on a two-out rally. With two outs, Soong hit his own triple to center field, followed by Equale walking and reaching second on a wild pitch. A hard-hit single by Witte up the middle scored both Soong and Equale to give the Bears a 4-2 lead.
UWP got the two runs back right away in the top of the sixth, using a single and a WashU error to score twice and knot the game at 4-4. In the top of the seventh, they retook the lead for the second time in the game, scoring after a single, a wild pitch, and a deep single to right field allowed a run to cross. They were poised to score more, but a pitching change saw the Bears get out of a bases-loaded jam.
It was in the bottom of that frame that WashU took the lead for good, scoring four runs. Sophomore
Kevin Stephens led off with a single to right field, and after a walk by Cromer, Soong bunt-singled right in front of home plate to load the bases with no outs. After Equale struck out, Witte hit a ball to the shortstop, who misplayed it into an error that scored Stephens.
The Pioneers pitcher then balked, allowing all baserunners to advance one base, scoring Cromer and putting the Bears in front 6-5. Sophomore
Miles Birke then hit a deep single to left center that saw both Soong and Witte score, putting WashU ahead for good, 8-5.
Graduate
Chase Brickley faced just seven batters in the eighth and ninth innings combined while striking out four to earn his first win in relief and improve to 5-0 on the season.
Soong and Witte each had a multi-hit game. Soong, as well as Cromer, hit a triple while Witte knocked in four RBIs on his two hits.
This was the first matchup between the teams since WashU won 7-2 back during the 2012 season. The Bears own a 7-1 record all-time against the Pioneers.
WashU remains at home this weekend for a pair of doubleheaders against (RV) Gustavus Adolphus. The Bears and Gusties will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 21 at 11 a.m. as part of the team's First Responder Appreciation Games. They will close out the weekend on Sunday, Mar. 22 with another doubleheader beginning at 11 a.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.
