No. 25 Washington U. Softball Splits Pair of Games at NFCA Leadoff Classic
UT-TYLER BOX | HUSSON BOX
Columbus, Ga., March 8, 2013 – The No. 25 ranked Washington University in St. Louis softball team split a pair of games Friday at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.
Washington U. had its eight-game winning streak come to an end with a 4-0 loss to No. 3 ranked University of Texas-Tyler in game one, before regrouping for an 8-0 win in five innings over Husson University in game two.
#3 Texas-Tyler 4, #25 Washington U. 0
Texas-Tyler (10-0) scored all four of its runs in the bottom of the second inning off WUSTL freshman starter Brooke Hofer, who took the loss for Washington U. Hofer (2-1) allowed four earned runs on three hits and hit four batters in one inning pitched. Freshman Annie Pitkin relieved Hofer and kept the Texas-Tyler bats silent for the final six innings allowing one hit.
Washington U. had four hits in the loss, led by Hofer’s two-hit performance. Sophomore Paige Biles and junior Stacy Berg also added a hit for the Bears.
#25 Washington U. 8, Husson 0 – five innings
Junior pitcher Kelsey Neal (4-0) continued her dominance on the mound with a three-hit shutout in the game two victory. Neal, who has allowed one or less runs in her last three starts, struck out five and did not walk a batter. She has struck out 22 batters and walked one in 24 1/3 innings pitched this season.
Washington U. scored four runs on two hits and took advantage of a three walks in the bottom of the first. Junior Maggie Mullen drove in the first run with a bases-loaded walk, and then Berg grounded to third to push the advantage to 2-0. With runners at second and third and two outs, Hofer singled home two to make it 4-0 after an inning of play.
Berg drove in a run with a single in the bottom of the third to push the lead to 5-0. The RBI for Berg was her team-leading 15th of the season. The Bears tacked on two more runs with a two-RBI double by Hofer in the fifth, and then senior Claire Downs drove in a run with a sac fly to center to end the game.
Hofer was 2-for-4 and tied a career-high with four RBIs, recording her seventh multiple-hit game this season. Neal was 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored for Washington U., who had six hits in the victory.
Washington University (9-1) concludes round-robin play in the NFCA Leadoff Classic Saturday, March 9, against Alma College. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. (ET). The Bears will also play a second game on Saturday against an opponent to be determined.