Alex Fjeldheim and Kelsey Neal Power Bears to Sweep at Westminster
BOX 1 | BOX 2
Fulton, Mo., April 13, 2011 – Sophomore Alex Fjeldheim had three hits in game one and freshman Kelsey Neal added three hits and three RBIs in game two as the Washington University in St. Louis softball team posted a doubleheader sweep at Westminster College on Wednesday afternoon in Fulton, Mo.
Fjeldheim was 3-for-3 in the Bears’ 5-1 victory in game one, while Neal was 3-for-3 with three doubles, three runs scored and three RBIs in the 10-1 five-inning win in the nightcap.
The Bears tacked on two runs on three hits in the top of the first in game one. Freshman Maggie Mullen drove in both runs with an RBI triple to right field. Senior pitcher Claire Voris cruised through the first two innings, striking out the first six batters.
Washington U. scored two insurance runs for Voris in the top of the fifth as the Bears moved ahead 4-0. Junior Alyssa Abramoski drove home the first run of the inning with a double to left center, and then Mullen added an RBI single. Voris had an RBI single up the middle in the top of the sixth to push the advantage to 5-0.
Voris (12-3) tossed a complete-game in the opener, the 68th of her career, allowing four Westminster hits. She also struck out nine in the win, moving into a tie with Jackie Demline (Wheaton, Mass., 2001-04) into 24th in NCAA Division III history with 761 strikeouts. Mullen went 2-for-3 with three RBIs as the Bears recorded 11 hits in the game one win.
Fjeldheim recorded her fourth-straight hit in the doubleheader, a two-run home run to left field, as Washington U. jumped out in front 2-0 in the top of the first inning in game two. Neal and senior Ally Berenter led off the second with back-to-back hits, and then scored on wild pitches from Westminster starter Madison Yant to make it 4-0.
Neal pushed the advantage to 6-0 in the top of the third with a two-out, two-RBI double to right field scoring Fjeldheim and junior Corissa Santos. Westminster (4-13) loaded the bases in the bottom of the third inning without a ball leaving the infield off WU game two starter Olivia Cook. 
The Bluejays scored an unearned run off Cook following an error by Voris at third base, but that would be the lone run of the game for Westminster.
The Bears tacked on three more runs in the top of the sixth inning following an RBI double by Neal and a two-run home run by Berenter. The round tripper for Berenter was the sixth of the season and 15th of her career, tied for sixth most in school history.
Berenter was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored in game two, as Washington U. out hit Westminster, 12-4. Sophomore Hilary Stepansky and Abramoski also added two hits for the Bears. Cook (9-3) picked up the win in game two on the mound allowing four hits and an unearned run. She also lowered her team-leading earned run average to 1.85.
Washington University (26-7-1) hosts Millikin University in a doubleheader on Friday, April 15, beginning at 4 p.m.
Bear Notebook: Washington University has now won 25 or more games in nine-straight seasons … The Bears are 16-1 all-time against Westminster … Fjeldheim’s home run was taped off at 238 feet, while Berenter’s was 230 … Ferguson made her first start of the season in right field in game one, while Stepansky made the first start of her career in right in game two … Neal’s three doubles in game two tied a school record.