St. Louis, Mo., May 2, 2012 – Sophomore Kyle Billig and senior Brandon Rogalski each set single-season school records as the Washington University in St. Louis baseball team closed out its regular-season schedule with an 11-3 win over Fontbonne University on Wednesday afternoon.
Billig broke his own single-season stolen bases record by stealing second in the bottom of the first inning. In 40 games this season, he has 35 steals on 36 attempts, which also moved him within three steals of tying the WU career record. Rogalski tied two of his own single-season records in the game. With a single in the bottom of the sixth, he hit a single to tie his hits record (74) and increase his WU career-record total to 213. Rogalski also tied his single-season at-bats record (169) with five plate appearances in the game.
Fontbonne opened the game with three-straight singles to load the bases before a groundout gave the Griffins a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The Bears answered quickly as Billig singled and stole second before scoring on a single by freshman Andrew Goldstick in the bottom of the first. After freshman Chris Lowery drew a walk, sophomore Andrew Dwoskin hit a two-RBI double to give Washington U. the lead, 3-1.
In the bottom of the second, the Bears broke the game open with four runs on four hits. Freshman Zack Kessinger and sophomore Oliver Lowry hit back-to-back singles, and freshman Noah Doppelt followed with an RBI single. Billig then hit a two-RBI triple over the center fielder's head to make the score 6-1, before scoring his second run of the game on a groundout by Lowery that extended Washington U.'s lead to 7-1.
After a one-out walk in the top of the third came around to score for Fontbonne and cut the Bears' lead to 7-2, Washington U. answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Dwoskin and Kessinger each hit singles, and Lowry lined a double past the left fielder to give the Bears a 9-2 lead. Fontbonne added an unearned run in the top of the sixth, but in the bottom of the inning sophomore Dylan Reid was hit by a pitch to lead off. Lowery then hit his second-career homerun, smashing the ball over the left-field fence to make the score 11-3.
Junior Matt Tracy (3-1) threw five innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three. Sophomore Michael Rielly pitched two innings of relief, and junior Ryan Furtick and Rogalski threw an inning apiece.
The Bears out-hit Fontbonne 17-7 in the game. Eleven different players recorded hits for Washington U., led by Kessinger's 3-for-4 day. Billig (two runs, two RBIs), Lowery (two runs, three RBIs), Dwoskin (run, two RBIs), and Lowry (run, two RBIs) each went 2-for-3 at the plate. The Griffins left 10 runners on base, while Washington U. left seven runners stranded.
Washington University (28-12) will await the official announcement of qualifiers for the NCAA Division III Championship to be released on Sunday, May 13. The Bears were ranked No. 2 in last week's Central Region rankings. The updated regional rankings will be released on Thursday at ncaa.com.
Bear Notebook: Washington U. got its lead-off batter on base in all eight innings of the game … The Bears defeated Fontbonne, 10-1, on March 6 … With 17 hits against the Griffins, Washington U. posted double-digit hits in 27 regular-season games … Billig extended his hitting streak to 23 games … Washington U. had one double play and is now two shy of tying the single-season school record … Billig now has an NCAA Division III-best 58 runs scored this season, and needs one more to tie the Washington U. single-season record.