St. Louis, Mo., March 23, 2012 – Senior Brandon Rogalski recorded five of 24 hits by the Washington University in St. Louis baseball team as the Bears earned a pair of wins over University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Wheaton College on Friday afternoon at Kelly Field.
Washington U. scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat UW-Platteville, 7-3. In the second game of the day, the Bears battled through intermittent rain showers to take a 5-0 lead over Wheaton heading into the eighth inning. Shortly after starting the top of the eighth, the rain began falling steadily, and the game was called with Washington U. leading 5-3 with two outs in the top of the eighth inning.
The Bears (15-6) are scheduled to play Wheaton (8-5) at Noon on Saturday, followed by a game against UW-Platteville (3-8) at 3 p.m. at Kelly Field.
Washington U. 7, UW-Platteville 3
UW-Platteville scored two runs on four hits in the top of the third inning to grab an early 2-0 lead over the Bears. Washington U. answered, tying the score in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore Andrew Dwoskin hit a lead-off double to left-center field, and advanced to third on a groundout by junior David Madson. Freshman Noah Doppelt hit a two-out single through the left side of the infield to score Dwoskin. After stealing second, Doppelt came around to score on a single to left field by junior Matthew Polites to even the score, 2-2.
The Bears took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring one run on a two-out single by freshman Andrew Goldstick after sophomore Kyle Billig reached on an error to extend the inning. The Pioneers answered with a run on back-to-back two-out hits in the top of the seventh to tie the score again, 3-3.
Washington U. broke the game open in the bottom of the eighth inning. Freshman Chris Lowery hit a pinch-hit single down the left-field line to lead off the inning. Polites reached on a bunt single, giving the Bears runners on first and second. With one out, Goldstick hit an RBI single to right-center field to make it 4-3. Rogalski followed with a single to right field to score Polites. Dwoskin was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Washington U. with two outs. Madson hit a ball hard toward second, but the Pioneers' second baseman misplayed it, allowing Rogalski and Goldstick both to score to extend Washington U.'s lead to 7-3.
Rogalski finished 3-for-5 in the game, while Dwoskin was 3-for-4. Goldstick was 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Sophomore Brendan Rooney (1-1) earned his first win of the season for Washington U., allowing just three hits and one run while striking out a season-high five batters in five innings of relief.
Washington U. 5, Wheaton 3 (7 innings)
Washington University took a 5-0 lead into the eighth inning, before Wheaton cut the lead to 5-3 in the top of the eighth inning. The Thunder scored three runs in the inning, and had the bases loaded with two outs when umpires called the game due to rain and wet field conditions.
With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Washington U. got on the scoreboard with two runs. Polites was hit by a pitch and sophomore Dylan Reid singled up the middle, before both moved up on a balk called on the Wheaton pitcher. Doppelt took advantage with a two-RBI single to shallow right-center field to give Washington U. a 2-0 lead.
The Bears added to their lead with two more runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth to make it 4-0. Rogalski hit a two-out single up the middle, freshman Zack Kessinger drew a walk and Dwoskin was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Madson drove in Rogalski and Kessinger on first hit of the day with a single over the second baseman to shallow center field. Doppelt drew a lead-off walk in the bottom of the sixth and scored on a sacrifice fly by Goldstick to extend the lead to 5-0 for Washington U.
In the top of the eighth inning, Wheaton bot back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases before a sacrifice fly down the left-field line gave the Thunder their first run of the game. Wheaton's fifth batter of the inning reached on a one-out error, allowing another run to score, before an RBI single cut the Washington U. lead to 5-3. After Wheaton's seventh batter of the inning was hit by a pitch to load the basses for the Thunder with two outs, the home plate umpire called the game because of the weather and field conditions, allowing Washington U. to get the 5-3 win.
Junior Taylor Berman (2-1) earned the win for the Bears, giving up three runs on six hits, while recording six strikeouts, in 7.1 innings of work. Rogalski (2-for-4) and Kessinger (2-for-3) led Washington U. offensively.
Bear Notebook: Washington U. left 19 base runners stranded in the two games, including 12 against UW-Platteville … The Bears scored nine of their 12 runs on the day with two outs … With his five hits on Friday, Rogalski moved into a tie for sixth on Washington U.'s all-time career hits list … Billig tallied two stolen bases in the two games, moving him into a tie for third on the career list (51).