Scott BresslerThe Washington University softball team remained untouchable this weekend, sweeping their three games and extending their win streak to 18.
The 16th-ranked Bears won both games of their doubleheader Saturday against Maryville University, edging a 3-2 victory in the first game and riding a strong offense and another dominant pitching performance by senior Laurel Sagartz to a 9-0 win in the second. Sunday’s game against Fontbonne University was another blowout, as they cruised to a 10-0 victory.
Sagartz pitched the shutout on Sunday and moved into first on the WU all-time list in complete games with 62. She is now the all-time leader in all seven pitching categories for Wash. U.
In Saturday’s first game, the Bears took an early lead in the first. Freshman Carter Malouf led off with a single and was moved over to second on a sacrifice by freshman Ashton Hitchcock. She later scored on an RBI single by Sagartz.
After senior starter Abby Morgan gave up an unearned run in the third, the score remained tied at one until the sixth. Senior Jamie Kressel singled to lead off the inning and Laura D’Andrea homered to break the tie and give the Bears a 3-1 lead.
Maryville threatened again in the top of the seventh and scored another run on a single by Erin Clark, but Sagartz, on in relief of Morgan, pitched out of a jam for the save. Morgan earned the win with a six-inning effort, giving up one earned run and striking out five.
The day’s second game was more of a blowout, highlighted by an eight-run second inning for the Bears and another complete game shutout for Sagartz.
Maryville pitcher Laurie Prendergast struggled with her control in the second inning and the Bears took advantage, tallying three runs before an out was recorded. They scored five more times in the inning, putting the game virtually out of reach for Maryville. Sagartz cruised through five innings, giving up only two hits and striking out eight.
In Sunday’s game, Sagartz showed another dominant performance on the mound in her 62nd career complete game. She gave up only one hit in the shutout while striking out eight. She also got plenty of run support from her team, as the Bears’ offense put up 10 runs in the five-inning victory.
Wash. U. jumped out to an early lead in the first. Hitchcock singled to center. After Kressel reached on an error that moved Hitchcock over to third, Lindsay Cavarra drove her in with an RBI single to center. Sagartz brought Kressel home later in the inning with a sacrifice fly.
The Bears jumped on Fontbonne starter Weaver in the third, who gave up three runs in the inning before recording an out.
The offensive barrage continued in the fourth, as Malouf and Hitchcock led off the inning with back-to-back doubles. Singles by the next two batters, Kressel and Cavarra, were enough to knock Weaver out of the game and bring the score to 7-0. Wash. U. tacked on two more unearned runs before the inning was over on an error by the Fontbonne first baseman.
The Bears will play their last games of the regular season in a doubleheader on Friday, May 4 against McKendree College at home.
Action begins at 4 p.m. on the Wash. U. Softball Field.