Chicago, Ill., April 27, 2013 – Sophomore Dom Quaranta allowed just two hits in a complete-game shutout against the top hitting team in NCAA Division III as the Washington University in St. Louis baseball team split a pair of seven-inning games at University of Chicago Saturday afternoon. Chicago won game one 4-1, before the Bears picked up a 3-0 victory in game two.
Washington U. (21-13) and Chicago (17-10) continue their four-game series with another doubleheader beginning at Noon Sunday at Kyle Anderson Field.
Game One – Chicago 4, Washington U. 1
Chicago jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning, taking advantage of a throwing error by the Bears to score three unearned runs with two outs. Washington U. was held without a hit until the top of the fourth when junior Kyle Billig and sophomore Chris Lowery hit back-to-back one-out singles. A fielder's choice and a strikeout ended the inning for the Bears, and the Maroons added their lead with a two-out RBI triple in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-0.
In the top of the seventh, Lowery reached on an error, and sophomore Zack Kessinger and junior Andrew Dwoskin followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases for the Bears. Sophomore Noah Doppelt drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center field. After a popup gave Washington U. two outs, sophomore Brian Cizek drew a walk to again load the bases, but a groundout ended the game and sealed the 4-1 win for Chicago.
Senior Stephen Bonser (5-3) allowed just one earned run on 10 hits in the complete-game effort. He also recorded two strikeouts and did not issue any walks. The Bears finished with just five hits in the game, including two each in the fourth and seventh innings.
Game Two – Washington U. 3, Chicago 0
Washington U. started game two hot offensively, scoring two runs on four hits in the first inning. Freshman Max Golembo singled to left field to start the game, before the Maroons turned a double play. Billig, Lowery and Kessinger hit three-straight doubles to put the Bears ahead 2-0. In the top of the third, Billig led off with a homerun over the right-field fence to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Bears were limited to just two hits the remainder of the game, but Quaranta kept the Maroons off balance. Chicago's second hit of the game was a leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth. The runner moved to third on a flyout to right field, but Quaranta got a groundout to Kessinger at first that held the runner at third, and another flyout to Golembo in right field ended the threat.
Quaranta (6-0) remained unbeaten on the season, holding Chicago to a season-low two hits and one walk, while striking out two. It marked the second complete game of the season for Quaranta, and was the first time the Maroons have been shutout this season. Billig (2-for-3, double, HR, RBI, two runs), Lowery (2-for-4, double, run, RBI) and Kessinger (2-for-3, double, RBI) led the Bears offensively in the win.
Bear Notebook: Chicago entered the week leading NCAA Division III in batting average (.374) and slugging percentage (.529), and was fourth with 9.7 runs scored per game … Billig moved into fourth on Washington University's career runs scored leaderboard (141), and is one shy of tying for third … Kessinger extended his hitting streak to 12 games, while Golembo has hit safely in his last nine games … Sophomore Andrew Goldstick had reached base in 25-straight games prior to game one … Billig's homerun in game two was his second of the season and third of his career.