Sauget, Ill., Feb. 25, 2014 – The Washington University in St. Louis baseball team recorded 16 hits, including five extra-base hits, but the Bears were unable to rally after Fontbonne University took the lead in the fifth inning as the Griffins earned a 12-10 win over Washington U. Tuesday evening at GCS Ballpark.
With temperatures hovering in the upper 20s at first pitch, Fontbonne got on the board with three runs on three hits in the top of the first inning. Washington U.'s offense got rolling early, scoring seven runs on 10 hits in the first two innings to take a 7-4 lead. Sophomore Max Golembo led off the game with a single through the right side on a full-count pitch, and senior Kyle Billig and junior Zack Kessinger drilled back-to-back one-out singles to left field to load the bases for the Bears. Senior Andrew Dwoskin lined a triple over the leaping center fielder to tie the game at 3-3. Junior Brandon Deger followed with a triple to deep center field to give Washington U. a 4-3 lead.
In the second inning, junior Andrew Goldstick hit a lead-off single down the third-base line. After Goldstick stole second and advanced to third on a groundout, senior Dylan Reid hit a one-out single up the middle to extend the Bears' lead to 5-3. Reid stole second and third, before scoring on a slow-rolling single by Billig. Kessinger followed with an RBI double off the wall in left-center field to give the Bears a 7-3 lead after two innings.
Fontbonne pulled to within 7-6 with three runs on four hits in the top of the fourth, including three straight one-out singles and an RBI double to right-center field. The Bears added a run in the bottom of the fourth when Billig drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on an RBI groundout by Dwoskin. A pair of hit batsmen and two errors by the Bears in the top of the fifth inning allowed Fontbonne to score five runs, including four unearned, to take the lead for good (11-8). In the bottom of the inning, Goldstick and Golembo hit back-to-back two-out singles and Reid doubled off the left-field wall to score Goldstick and bring Washington U. within 11-9.
In the bottom of the sixth, freshman CJ Price hit a lead-off triple down the right-field line that made it to the corner of the outfield. After Dwoskin drew a walk, Deger drove in Price on an RBI groundout to cut Fontbonne's lead to 11-10. The Bears put together another scoring threat in the bottom of the seventh. Goldstick and Golembo hit back-to-back singles and advanced to second and third on a double steal, but the Bears were unable to score them and the score remained 11-10. Fontbonne strung together three hits in the top of the ninth to add an insurance run, and Washington U. was retired in order in the bottom of the inning as the Griffins held on for the win.
Fontbonne finished with 17 hits to Washington U.'s 16 and both teams left 10 runners on base in the game. Dwoskin finished 2-for-3 with a triple, a run and a career-high four RBIs. Goldstick (3-for-4, two runs, two steals) and Golembo (3-for-5, run, steal) each finished with three hits, while Reid (2-for-6, two RBIs, run, two steals), Billig (2-for-4, three runs, RBI, steal), and Kessinger (2-for-2, run, RBI) had two hits apiece. Deger added two RBIs while finishing 1-for-5 at the plate.
Junior Max Zhang made his first career start for the Bears, allowing six runs on nine hits and a walk, while recording a career-high five strikeouts in 3.2 innings. Sophomore Julian Clarke (1-1) took the loss, allowing five runs, just one earned, on three hits in an inning of relief. Freshman Brad Margolin pitched the final 4.1 innings for the Bears, limiting Fontbonne to just one run on five hits, while striking out two.
Washington U. (1-3) is scheduled to return to action with a home game against Wheaton College (Ill.) at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Kelly Field.
Bear Notebook: Goldstick's two stolen bases brought his career total to 33 and moved him into a tie for 10th on Washington U.'s career list with John Tanner (1990-93) … Kessinger recorded a hit for the 22nd straight game, dating to April 4, 2013 … It was Dwoskin's third multiple-hit game of the season … Billig, Dwoskin, Golembo and Kessinger have all reached base safely in each of the Bears' first four games.