Bears Drop Doubleheader at Missouri Baptist

BOX 1 | BOX 2

St. Louis, Mo., May 1, 2008 – Washington University's 14th-ranked softball team lost two games in a doubleheader at Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis, Mo., on Thursday afternoon. The Bears led both games heading into the late innings, but were unable to hold on for wins. Washington U. lost game one, 5-4, and dropped game two, 5-1.

The Bears plated four runs on four hits in the top of the second to jump out to a commanding 4-0 lead.

Senior Amy Vukovich singled to lead off the inning, and then junior Lindsay Cavarra followed with a single. With two outs, senior Kaylyn Eash walked, and then senior Karli Stander bunted for a hit to make it 1-0. Sophomore Ashton Hitchcock then hit the first pitch off Missouri Baptist University pitcher Jessica Robinson off the left field fence for a bases clearing double to push the lead to 4-0.

Missouri Baptist (28-15) answered with two runs in the bottom of the third, and then tied the game in the fifth with a two-RBI single from Lauren Scovill. Brittany Job gave the Spartans a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single.

Stander went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Cavarra was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Eash (4-5) allowed 10 hits and five earned runs in six innings pitched.

After a scoreless first four innings in game two, Washington U. took a 1-0 lead with a run in the fifth. Eash walked to lead off the inning, and then advanced to second on a ground out by Stander. Fieser singled to center moving Eash to third, and then scored on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Carter Malouf.

Fieser got through the first five innings allowing six hits and zero earned runs. In the sixth, Missouri Baptist scored five runs on five hits and took advantage of one Washington U. error to build a commanding 5-1 lead. Fieser (6-2) allowed eight hits and two earned runs in five innings pitched. Eash replaced Fieser in the sixth, allowing three hits and two earned runs.

The Bears were limited to four hits in the loss. Scovill and Job each had three hits in the victory for the Spartans, which recorded 11 hits in the second game.

Washington University (23-12) hosts No. 1 ranked DePauw University in a doubleheader on Saturday, May 2, at Noon.