Scott BresslerEddy Hoering’s RBI double to right center field in the home half of the seventh inning on Sunday marked an abrupt, well-deserved end to a long weekend of crucial late-season action for the Washington University baseball team.
The extra-base hit scored sophomore Zander Lehmann and gave the Bears a mercy-rule-shortened 13-3 victory over league rival U. Chicago at Kelly Field.
The blowout victory served as bittersweet revenge for Wash. U., as the club lost a heartbreaker to the same Maroons squad a day earlier, 5-4. That setback would serve as the only blemish on an otherwise impressive weekend for the Bears; the Red and Green took a pair of games from perennial UAA doormat Case Western Reserve in addition to Sunday’s triumph over UC.
With the win, the nation’s 13th ranked squad upped its overall record to 28-9 on the year and remained very much in the thick of the hunt for an NCAA tournament bid, despite’s Saturday’s momentary setback.
“We definitely have the talent to succeed [in the tournament] and go onto the World Series and I think the committee will acknowledge that,” said Hoering.
Sunday’s contest was not always as close as the final scored indicated, however.
Chicago scored first, as a pair of defensive miscues by Wash. U. middle infielders ultimately led to an unearned run and a 1-0 UC lead in the top of the second.
But the Bears struck back quickly, tallying the game’s next three runs. Pitcher Andy Shields provided himself with some meaningful run support, as the senior unloaded on a two-run homer over the right field fence in the third inning to give the Bears a 3-1 lead.
Shields’ two-run jack marked the start to a lead the Bears would never relinquish.
“It’s always nice to help yourself out. It takes a bit of pressure off,” said Shields.
Chicago made things interesting in the sixth, scoring two runs and reducing the lead to 4-3, but Shields bore down in the seventh, nicely mixing an array of off-speed pitches to retire the Maroons in order.
The senior workhorse was not expecting his day to be through after seven, but Wash. U.’s prolific and balanced offensive attack netted eight runs in what would turn out the team’s final at-bat. Seven Bears reached base in the inning, with junior left fielder Dave Working and sophomore catcher Andy Webb each recording two-RBI base hits to ensure the win.
In picking up his eighth win of the year, Shields allowed just two earned runs on six hits, walking only one Chicago hitter. The victory marked the ninth time that that the veteran right hander has tossed a complete game this year, an unprecedented feat at any level of baseball, but all the more impressive in the traditionally high-scoring college game.
“Fortunately, I was blessed with a rubber arm,” said Shields. “I can go out and throw forever.”
“I don’t know what Andy’s arm is made of. The kid’s probably pitched more than anyone I’ve ever played with, especially per start,” added Working. “He’s a workhorse.”
Notes: Sunday’s doubleheader marked the final regular season home game for the 2007 edition of Wash. U. baseball. The squad finished its home slate with a record of 19-3. The Bears defeated Case Western in the first-half of Sunday’s twin-bill, 15-2. Shields tallied four base hits in the first game, including a home run.