The great baseball statistician Bill James gained fame for debunking the sport’s old cliche that pitching is 90 percent of the game. But for Washington University, as the team’s pitching goes, so do the Bears.

With the bases loaded and two outs against Webster University on April 17, it was just another high pressure at bat for senior Chris Lowery, Washington University baseball’s corner outfielder. Already leading 5-2 and given a chance to break the game open, Lowery smacked a two-run single through the middle of the infield for his record-breaking 217th career hit in front of a home crowd at Kelly Field.