WashU Snaps Three-Game Losing Skid with Nine-Run Win Over Illinois Wesleyan
Utilizing a total team effort, the Washington University in St. Louis baseball team snapped its three-game losing skid with a dominant, 12-3, win over Illinois Wesleyan University, Sunday. WashU cranked out 16 hits, compared to IWU's six. With the win, WashU's record sits at 6-3, while IWU's record dropped to 4-2.
Senior Clayton Miller paced the Bears' offensive efforts, turning in a solid 4-for-5 day at the dish. Miller racked up three RBI and scored one run.
Junior Brandon Buday finished the game 2-for-5, with two driven in.
Junior Sebastian Guzman got the start on the bump for WashU. Guzman tossed five innings and surrendered five hits. Guzman notched his first win of the season (1-0).
The Bears generated first and second, with one out, in the top of the first, on a sophomore Shane Pellegrino walk and a junior Braden Mazone single to center. However, IWU got out of the early jam on a fly out and a strikeout to keep the game scoreless after one inning of play.
WashU took full advantage of a Titan fielding error in the second, recording three runs. Junior Dax Braemer put a ball in play and reached safely on an IWU fielding error. Senior Magnus Dunn then drew a walk and Buday barreled a two RBI double down the left field line as Braemer and Dunn scampered home to give WashU the 2-0 lead. With Buday on third, Pellegrino followed suit and put another double down the left field line that brought Buday home. After two innings of play, WashU held the 3-0 cushion.
With the Titans threatening in the top of the fifth, a Guzman wild pitch bounced off of Mazone's chest protector and a Titan attempted to score from third on the play. However, Mazone was able to locate the errant offering and he found Guzman sprinting towards the plate and Guzman applied the tag before the runner touched the plate to retire the side and to keep WashU's lead at 3-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, WashU added a pair of runs to up their lead to 5-0. After three singles loaded the bases with one out, Dunn plated an RBI on a fielder's choice to second to put the score at 4-0. With a lefty on the mound, Dunn took off for second on first movement and the Titan first basement tried to catch graduate student Evan Minarovic at third, but the throw was short and ended up in left field, which allowed Minarovic to score on the play. After five innings, WashU held the 5-0 advantage.
Junior Hank Weiss entered out of the bullpen with runners on second and third, and no one out, in the top of the sixth. Weiss limited the damage to just one run as he manufactured two ground outs and one strikeout to retire the side. The Bears owned the four-run, 5-1, lead heading into the bottom of the sixth.
The Bears added three runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend WashU cushion to 8-1. In the frame, Miller and junior Justin Zachery each recorded an RBI.
IWU tagged WashU for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh on a two RBI double to left center to trim the Bears lead to five, 8-3.
The Bears opened the game up in the bottom of the eighth with a four-run frame. Heading into the ninth, WashU held the 12-3 cushion.
Weiss was able to shut the door in the ninth, earning his second save of the season, preserving the 12-3 victory. Weiss threw the final four innings and allowed just one hit.