St. Louis, Mo., March 21, 2012 – The Washington University in St. Louis baseball team outscored Webster University 5-0 in the final five innings to earn a 12-7 win over the Gorloks on Wednesday afternoon at Kelly Field.
After Webster scored a run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at seven runs apiece, Washington University scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and two in the bottom of the eighth to pull away for the win. In the fifth inning, senior Brandon Rogalski and freshman Zack Kessinger hit back-to-back doubles to break the tie. Freshman Noah Doppelt hit a one-out, bases-loaded pitch down the third-base line, but the Webster third baseman's throw to home sailed over the catcher's head. Kessinger and freshman Chris Lowery both scored on the error, giving the Bears a 10-7 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, sophomore Kyle Billig reached on a lead-off walk, and Rogalski recorded his fourth hit of the day to put runners on first and second. After a double-steal by Billig and Rogalski, Lowery drove in Billig from third and an error on the play extended the inning with one out for Washington U. Junior David Madson hit a sacrifice fly to score Rogalski and make it 12-7.
Webster's lead-off batter was hit by a pitch and the next two drew walks to open the top of the first inning, before a single by Alex Kazmierski gave the Gorloks an early 1-0 lead. Webster took advantage of a Washington U. fielding error to add two more runs in the inning for a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Washington U.'s first five batters reached base and came around to score to give the Bears a 5-3 lead. Billig led-off with a triple to deep center field, and freshman Andrew Goldstick followed with an RBI double to right-center field. After Goldstick advanced to third on a balk, Rogalski hit an RBI single to shallow center field. Kessinger drew a walk, and Lowery followed with a two-RBI triple, before a groundout by Madson scored Lowery to make it 5-3.
The Gorloks cut the lead to 5-4 with a lead-off homerun by Cody Stevenson in the top of the second, and regained a 6-5 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. The Bears answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead back, 7-6. A sacrifice fly after a pair of base hits for Webster in the top of the fourth tied the game again at 7-7.
Junior Stephen Bonser (3-1) earned his third win of the season for Washington U. He allowed five earned runs on 10 hits in five innings of work. Sophomore Michael Rielly picked up his first save of the season, pitching four shutout innings of relief in the game.
Offensively, Rogalski finished 4-for-5 at the plate with one RBI and four runs scored. Goldstick (2-for-5), Kessinger (2-for-3) and sophomore Dylan Reid (2-for-4) also had multi-hit games for the Bears. Lowery finished with a team-best three RBIs, while Madson had two.
Washington U. (13-6) is scheduled to host Wheaton College (Ill.) and University of Wisconsin-Platteville for four games on Friday and Saturday. The Bears will take on Wisconsin-Platteville at Noon on Friday, before facing Wheaton at 3 p.m. at Kelly Field.
Bear Notebook: The win snapped a three-game losing skid for Washington U. … Webster stranded 14 base runners in the game … Eight of Washington U.'s nine starters recorded hits against Webster … Rogalski's four hits gave him his 11th multi-hit game of the season, and moved him just two hits shy of seventh on the WU all-time career hits list … Rogalski also had two stolen bases against Webster, moving him to a tie for fifth on the career stolen bases list, while Billig stands two stolen bases shy of third on the list.