Bears walk-off, take two wins from Tigers

ST. LOUIS, Mo.- The Tiger baseball team fell to Washington University (Mo.) in a non-conference doubleheader Friday afternoon, dropping game one, 10-6 and losing the nightcap, 9-8.

DePauw dropped to 10-13 overall, while the Bears improved to 16-14.

The Tigers got off to a fast start in the opener scoring two runs in the first. Michael Hartnagel led off with a single through the left side and advanced to second on a single from Robbie Stein. Zach Starr followed with a walk to load the bases. After a pair of strikeouts, Cory Meixner reached on a fielder's choice with an error by the second basemen allowing Hartnagel to score. Conner Einertson worked a walk to force in Stein from third.

Ryan Allee singled to right in the top of the third inning and advanced to third on a single from Meixner. Einertson's RBI single to left put the Tigers up 3-0. The Bears countered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning helped by a throwing error by Hartnagel.

DePauw would score another run in the fourth to extend its lead back to two. JB McCallum drew a walk to open the inning and moved to second on Hartnagel's bunt single. Stein laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. Starr grounded out to second allowing McCallum to score.

Washington U. would score two runs in the bottom of the fourth and one in the fifth to tie the score 4-4. The Tigers would counter in the sixth to regain a one run lead. McCallum started things off with a double to center. He would score on Hartnagel's RBI triple to right.

The Bears would grab control of the contest in the next three frames, putting up one run in the sixth, two in the seventh and three in the eighth. Washington U. tallied nine of their 18 hits in the final three innings of the contest led by Kyle Billig who collected four RBIs.

DePauw would only manage to score one run in the ninth to cut the final deficit to four. Stein walked and advanced to second when Brendon Pashia was hit by a pitch. Both runners moved up a base following a balk and Allee's ground out to short allowed Stein to score from third.

Pete Stuart dropped to 3-4 on the year after working 1.2 innings in relief and surrendering three runs on three hits. Nick Gollin moved to 5-1 going four innings in relief without giving up a hit and allowing just one run to score.

In the nightcap the Tigers were first to score on a Pashia RBI double to right allowing Stein to score from third. Washington U. answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning.

Collin Henry singled up the middle to open the second inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Ryan Grippo's single to center allowed Henry to score putting DePauw up 2-1. Grippo would move to second on a sacrifice bunt by Marko Adams. After moving to third on a wild pitch, Grippo scored on an RBI single by Hartnagel.

The Bears would explode for four runs in the bottom of the second helped out by three Tiger errors. Billig led-off with a single and advanced to third on an error by Einertson. Andrew Goldstick's RBI single drove in Billig. Kyle Kozak would score on another DePauw error and Chris Lowery's single would make the score 4-3. CJ Price came home on the final error of the inning after Adam's throw got by the second baseman.

Washington U. would add a run in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 6-3. The Tigers would chip away at the Bears' lead in the sixth. Meixner took a walk and advanced to second on a single by Henry. Grippo bunted and reached base as the Bears failed to record an out. With the bases loaded, Adams struck out, but McCallum's sacrifice fly drove home Meixner.

Up 6-4, Washington U. added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings. The Bears collected two hits in the seventh capped by a Billig RBI single scoring Brandon Deger from second. In the eighth, Price singled through the left side and advanced to second on a ground out. He scored on an RBI single by Zack Kessinger to make the score 8-4.

The Tigers would mount a comeback in the ninth scoring four runs. Lucas Italiano singled to center to start off the inning.

Pinch runner, Jack Thompson stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He scored on an RBI single from Einertson.

Hartnagel reached on an error and Stein followed with a fielder's choice that retired Einertson at third. Starr doubled down the left field line driving in Hartnagel and Stein. Pashia singled to right center to score Starr from second and tie the contest at 8-8.

Having tied the score in the top half of the ninth the Tigers sent out freshman, Nick Horvath to work the bottom half of the frame. Deger singled to right field to lead off the inning. Pinch runner Dylan Reid advanced to second on a ground out and moved to third on a single by Max Golembo. With the bases loaded and two outs, Price stepped to the plate and delivered the game winning hit up the middle, scoring Reid from third.

Horvath took the loss for the Tigers, while Brad Margolin picked up the win for the Bears.

The teams meet Saturday for the final two games of their series starting at 1:00 p.m

At Washigton Game 1

WU 140 100 111 -- 9 16 3