WashU’s Jason Kelley had four hits and five RBIs in the Bears’ 18-8 win over Westminster on Tuesday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

W: Alex Ardemagni (1-1) L: B. Kennebeck (0-2)

Steven Millbrook
Staff Writer

ST. LOUIS, MO — The Washington University baseball team exploded for 18 hits and 18 runs in what proved to be an 18-8 beatdown of visiting in-state rival Westminster College, Tuesday afternoon at Kelly Field. 

The victory lifted WashU’s season record to 17-7, and was the Bears’ sixth win in their last eight games.
 
WashU wasted no time jumping on Westminster, as it scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning.
 
Magnus Dunn hit a one-out double to left center and stole third. Clayton Miller drove Dunn in with a single to left. Kaden Bernhard drew a walk and Braden Mazone followed with a single to right center, scoring Miller for a 2-0 lead.
 
Mazone advanced to second on a wild pitch, putting two runners in scoring position and a Harry Mauterer triple to right center made it a 4-0 game as Bernhard and Mazone scored. Jack Miller doubled to left field, scoring Mauterer and Hunter Goldberg singled to left center, scoring Miller for the 6-0 lead.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the second, Bernhard singled to right field and advanced to third on a Mazone single. Mazone stole second and both runners scored on a Chris Jacinto single to center.
 
Westminster scored its first run in the top of the third inning. Ian Bello hit a one-out triple to right center and Steven Diaz drew a walk. Jason Pesold laid down a sac bunt to score Bello and make it an 8-1 game.
 
The Bluejays posted two more runs in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, Quin Smith doubled to left field and Trent Rueckert homered to left.
 
WashU added four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bernhard led off with a single to short and Mazone drove him in with a double to left center. Jacinto singled to short and moved up on a Mauterer fielder’s choice place. Miller singled and advanced on the throw, scoring Jacinto for the first run of the inning. Goldberg followed with a single to left center, scoring Mauterer, and then Miller stole home to put the Bears up 12-3.
 
Another four runs crossed for the Bears in the bottom of the fifth inning. Clayton Miller drew a lead-off walk and Bernhard was hit by a pitch. Mazone singled, scoring Miller for the 13-3 lead. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Mauterer drew a walk to load the bases.
 
With two outs, Goldberg drew a walk, scoring Bernhard. Brandon Buday then also drew a walk to score Mazone and prompt a pitching change for Westminster. Anthony Gross was hit by a pitch, scoring Mauterer for a 16-3 lead.
 
WashU pushed across its final two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Bernhard drew a lead-off walk and Mazone was hit by a pitch. Mauterer singled to left field, scoring Bernhard. Jack Miller drew a walk to load the bases and Mazone scored on a Goldberg ground out.
 
The Bluejays scored a run in the top of the seventh. Chris Louis was hit by a pitch and Diaz drew a walk. Pesold singled to right field, scoring Louie.
 
Westminster scored its final four runs in the top of the eighth inning. Quin Adelson singled to left and Austin Mayton drew a walk. Hunter Mulholland was hit by a pitch to load the bases and a Louie single to center scored Adelson. Mayton and Mulholland scored as Bello reached on an error. With two outs, Pesold singled to center, scoring Louie to make it an 18-8 game.
 
Mazone went 4-for-4 with four runs scored and three RBI while Goldberg finished 3-for-4 with four RBI. Mauterer was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI and Bernhard was 2-for-2 with five runs scored and two walks.
 
Alex Ardemagni notched the win on the mound, going 2.1 innings with just two hits to go with two strikeouts.
 
The Bears head to NYU this weekend for a four-game series starting on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.