Junior slugger Andrew Huang blasted a walkoff home run in Wash. U.’s Game 2 win on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Wash. U. Athletics)
by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
The No. 1 team in NCAA Division III baseball looked every bit like it in its four-game set against Spalding University at Kelly Field this past weekend. The top-ranked Bears swept all four games over the visiting Eagles, winning Friday’s games 7-1 and 3-2, and Saturday’s contests 4-1 and 4-0.
All season long, the 21-1 Bears have found all kinds of ways to win games. But this past weekend, it was pitching, pitching, pitching, and more pitching that proved to be the difference.
None of the four Wash. U. starters gave up more than one earned run and none of the relievers the Bears used gave up any runs. Just one after another, Wash. U.’s pitchers came to the mound and dominated Spalding’s hitters.
In Game 1, senior Ryan Loutos (7-0) picked up his team-leading seventh win of the season by tossing a strong 6 1/3 innings and allowing just one run on three hits with 12 strikeouts and just three walks. The Bears offense helped Loutos out by pounding out 10 hits against the Eagles, led by shortstop Caleb Durbin, left fielder Johnny LaMantia, and third baseman Collin Kahal who all had two hits apiece.
Durbin and LaMantia also had two RBIs each. Senior closer Jared Fong pitched the final 2 2/3 innings to get his fifth save of the season.
In Game 2, senior Troy Bauer and sophomore Kyle Coates were splendid in what proved to be an 11-inning win. Bauer went six innings and only gave up one earned run, while striking out eight, and Coates was just as good, going five innings and allowing no runs with five strikeouts.
Durbin and first baseman Bo Anderson drove in Wash. U.’s runs as the game went to extra innings tied 2-2, but it was junior Andrew Huang, who took over at first base in the 10th inning that made the play of the day. With the score still tied in the bottom of the 11th, Huang blasted his first home run as a collegiate player to lift the Bears to a 3-2 win.
On Sunday, pitching continued to be the story of the series, as Wash. U. got more superb work from its starters and relievers.
Mitchell Black (3-0) made the start in the first game of the day and was just spectacular. The senior from Houston went 6 2/3 innings and allowed just one run on four hits. Fong pitched a scoreless ninth to get his sixth save of the season.
The Bears offense only managed six hits of their own, but took advantage of the Spalding errors and two wild pitches to push across the four runs they needed to win the game.
In the series finale, junior Austin Sachen, freshman Clayton Miller, and senior Dominick DiCosimo combined for a three-hit shutout. Sachen started the game, went four innings, and struck out 10.
Unfortunately, Sachen’s pitch count got a little high and after he walked the leadoff man in the fifth, he was taken out for Miller, who got through that inning and two more after it with no trouble to earn his first collegiate win. And DiCosimo went the final two innings to close out the game and the four-game sweep for the Bears.
Wash. U. will now focus on a weekend trip to Storm Lake, Ia., where it will play a two-game set against Buena Vista University. Wash. U.’s next home game will be Wednesday, April 28, when the Bears will host crosstown rival Lindenwood University in a 3 p.m. game at Kelly Field.