Softball Continues Offensive Surge in Doubleheader Sweep at Principia
BOX 1 | BOX 2 | PHOTO
Elsah, Ill., April 10, 2012 – The Washington University in St. Louis softball team collected 30 hits and scored 25 runs in a doubleheader sweep at Principia College on Tuesday afternoon in Elsah, Ill. The Bears won game one 15-0 in five innings, and then posted a 10-2 victory in five innings in the nightcap.
Washington University improved its overall record to 20-10 with the sweep, the 13th-straight season the Bears have recorded 20 or more wins since the program’s inception in 2000.
Washington U. 15, Principia 0 (five innings)
The Bears pounded out a season-high 19 hits in the game one victory, as 13 of 16 that saw action recorded a hit. After a scoreless first inning, Washington U. scored two runs in the second inning on three hits and took advantage of two Principia errors. Sophomore Kelsey Neal had the lone RBI in the inning for the Bears.
Washington U. added five runs in the third inning to push the advantage to 7-0. Senior Alyssa Abramoski and Neal had RBI singles in the inning, while freshman Adrienne White pushed across two runs with a double to right center. Sophomore Claire Henkel added a sac fly RBI in the five-run third inning.
With senior Olivia Cook in control on the mound, the Bears scored five runs in the fourth and three runs in the fifth to make it 15-0. Senior Rebecca Salisbury highlighted the three-run fifth with a double to left field that rolled all the way to the wall. Henkel and Salisbury each recorded there first hit of the season in the fifth inning.
Junior Sondra Polonsky (3-for-4, three runs scored, RBI) and senior Corissa Santos (3-for-4, two doubles, two runs scored, RBI) led the hit parade for Washington U, while Neal (2-for-2, two RBIs, run scored) and White (2-for-2, two RBIs, run scored) also had a pair of hits.
Cook (10-6) picked up the win in game one allowing three hits while striking out four. She threw just 54 pitches in the complete-game shutout. The victory for Cook was the 40th of her career, while the shutout was her 10th – both are fifth most in school history.
Washington U. 10, Principia 2 (five innings)
The Bears scored two runs in the first inning of game two on just one hit, taking advantage of a wild pitch and an error. Principia (3-18) answered back with a pair of runs off game-two starter Kelsey Neal to tie score at 2-2 after an inning of play.
Neal would settle down after allowing three hits in the opening inning to shut out the Panthers the rest of the way. She gave up just three hits the rest of the way and retired 12 of the last 15 batters she faced. Neal (7-3) allowed six hits and two runs (one earned) in a complete-game victory, while throwing 82 pitches.
Tied at 2-2 in the top of the fourth, Washington U. scored eight runs on seven hits to break the game open. Sophomore Maggie Mullen highlighted the inning with a two-RBI double, while Neal added an RBI double and freshman Alyssa Wilson had an RBI triple down the right field line.
Henkel (2-for-3, run scored), Neal (2-for-3, RBI, run scored) White (2-for-3, RBI, run scored) and Wilson (2-for-2, RBI, run scored) all had a pair of hits for Washington U.
Washington University returns to action on Saturday, April 14, with a pair of key regionals contests in Bloomington, Ill. The Bears take on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire at Noon and No. 13 ranked Illinois Wesleyan University at 2 p.m.
Bear Notebook: Washington U. and Principia met for the first time in school history … Abramoski and Santos moved into seventh place in games played (159) … Santos’ two doubles in the first game upped her career total to 45, while the pair of walks in game two pushed her school-record total to 60 … The Bears have scored in double figures in four-straight games.