Auburndale, Fla., March 12, 2017 – A seventh inning rally from the Washington University in St. Louis baseball team tied the score with Rutgers University-Camden but the Scarlett Raptors prevailed with a single run in the eighth to hand the Bears a 5-4 loss in Auburndale, Fla. Sunday afternoon.
WashU fell to 5-4 on the season while Rutgers-Camden boosted its record to 2-3. The Bears totaled 11 hits while senior Christian Santos had his third consecutive game of knocking in multiple runs.
Senior starting pitcher Brad Margolin threw three consecutive shutout innings until the Scarlet Raptors jumped ahead with three runs in the fourth inning. Sophomore John Howard replaced Margolin in the bottom of the fifth after he allowed another run.
Howard entered the frame with one out and a man on first but a groundball double play to senior shortstop Austin Darmawan ended the inning for Rutgers-Camden as it led 4-1. WashU scored a single run in the top of the fifth inning on a single by senior Ben Browdy.
After a scoreless sixth inning by both teams, WashU evened the game at 4-all. Santos delivered with a two-run single after senior Scott Nelson, sophomore Auggie Mense and Browdy loaded the bases. Browdy came around to score on freshman John Brinkman's single which evened the score.
Howard worked a perfect seventh inning sending all three Scarlet Raptors back to the bench but WashU was unable to get any more going offensively despite a leadoff walk by senior Tate Maider in the eighth.
Rutgers-Camden scored what proved to be the winning run in the eighth inning. A leadoff single paired with an error allowed the runner to advance into scoring position. The Scarlet Raptors' Brett Kuchera drove in the unearned run.
Senior Bill Heisler relieved Howard mid inning with a man on first base and recorded a groundball double play to Darmawan against his only batter faced.
Howard was saddled with the loss but threw three solid innings without allowing an earned run. Mense, Browdy, Santos and Brinkman all finished the day with multiple hits while Mense also reached base a third time when he with a hit-by-pitch.
The Bears will face St. Scholastica tomorrow at Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg, Fla. Opening pitch is set for 12 p.m. (E.T.). Be sure to stay up to date on all your Bears scores and awards by following @WashUBears on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Bears Notes: Browdy continued his ascent towards 100 career RBIs and is now just three shy of the mark.