Lehmann Goes 6-for-6 with Seven RBI in Sweep of Maryville

BOX 1 | BOX 2

St. Louis, Mo., April 30, 2009 – Senior Zander Lehmann went 6-for-6 and reached base all eight times he came to the plate to lead the Washington University baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Maryville University on Thursday, April 30, in St. Louis, Mo. The Bears defeated Maryville 12-0 in the first game of the doubleheader and then came from behind to win the second game, 7-2.

Lehmann went 4-4 with two home runs, a double and a single, knocking in six runs for the Bears in game one. Senior Brian Williams allowed just two hits over six scoreless innings to improve to 7-2 on the season and lower his ERA to 4.02

Lehmann got Washington U. started offensively with a solo home run in the bottom of the first. Senior Scott Kennedy then led off the second with a double to left center and junior Joe Wenzel followed with a two-run home run to left. The Bears rattled off four-straight hits to score two more runs off of Maryville starter Chris Gebert, who left the game without retiring a batter in the second.

The score remained 4-0 through three innings as Williams did not allow a baserunner through 3.1 innings. Washington U. then added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth when junior Remy Midkiff doubled to lead off the inning and Lehmann followed with a double of his own that narrowly missed clearing the fence in right center.  Lehmann advanced to third on a groundout to second base by sophomore Matt Bayer and scored on a groundout to shortstop by junior Nick Vom Brack.

The Bears’ bats stayed hot in the fifth by producing four runs, all with two outs. After Wenzel hit a one-out double, senior Andy Webb flew out to left. Sophomore Miguel Davis singled to left center to score Wenzel, Midkiff singled to right, and Lehmann followed with his second home run of the game, putting Washington U. up 11-0.

A fielder’s choice by sophomore Matt Skinner in the sixth put the Bears up 12-0, and sophomore Eric Myjak retired Maryville in order in the seventh to secure the victory.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Washington U. dug an early 2-0 hole before posting seven unanswered runs en route to a 7-2 victory. Junior Jeremy Rogoff started the game for the Bears and faced just four batters before being relieved. Rogoff walked leadoff man Adam Boyer and then allowed a single and a double after recording his only out of the game. Sophomore H.T. Flanagan replaced Rogoff and struck out all three batters he faced in the inning to stop the damage and keep the score 2-0.

Flanagan, who had pitched just 3.2 innings all year coming into the game, went the rest of the way, tossing 6.2 scoreless innings and allowing just three hits while striking out five. The win was the first of his career and the 6.2 innings pitched more than doubled his career total prior to Thursday’s action.

Lehmann continued his impressive day by going 2-2 and walking two more times. He raised his average to a conference-leading .441 and his slugging percentage jumped more than 70 points to .732, also best in the UAA.

After falling behind early, the Bears responded by posting a run in each of the game’s first five innings and two more in the sixth. In the first the Red and Green quickly loaded the bases on a leadoff single by Midkiff, a walk by Lehmann, and an error by Jared Mills that put Bayer on first. Vom Brack singled home Midkiff, but Maryville starter Matt Schwartz got out of the jam by striking out senior Gregg Kennedy and forcing Scott Kennedy to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Wenzel led off the second with a hit-by-pitch and later advanced to third on a two-out single by Midkiff. Lehmann singled up the middle to score Midkiff and tie the score at 2-2.

Mitch Seward replaced Schwartz to start the third but fared no better. Vom Brack led off the inning with a double down the leftfield line. The Bears then manufactured the run when Gregg Kennedy advanced Vom Brack to third on a groundout to second and Scott Kennedy did the same to score the run.

Washington U. manufactured another run in the fourth after Webb led off the inning with a double to left. A Davis single advanced Webb to third and Midkiff grounded into a double play to bring home the run. Vom Brack and Scott Kennedy both singled in the fifth and Davis singled to right with two outs to put the Bears ahead 5-2.

The Red and Green then had their most successful in the sixth despite notching only one hit. After Lehmann posted his sixth hit of the day to lead off the inning, relief pitcher Boyer recorded two outs and appeared on the verge of getting Maryville out of an inning unscathed for the first time all game. But Boyer then hit three straight batters and walked Webb to score two runs and give Washington U. a 7-2 lead.

Flanagan ran into trouble to start the seventh after walking Bo Bunton and allowing a single to Mills. But he settled down to record the final three outs and wrap up the 7-2 Bears’ victory.

Washington U. (23-10) returns to action on Saturday, May 2 with a doubleheader at home against Webster University beginning at 10 a.m.

Bear Notebook: The Bears put together back-to-back multi-home run games against Greenville on Tuesday and Maryville on Thursday after not having a multi-homer game all season…Williams is now the team leader in wins, with seven…Washington U. has now defeated Maryville 13 straight times dating back to 2003 … Washington U. has won three-straight games and eight of its last nine overall.