ST. LOUIS, Mo.– The Westminster softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader today against WashU in their opening series of the 2020 season.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Bears took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first off a wild pitch by Westminster starter Bailee Zemianek. The Bears added another run in the third to take a 2-0 lead.

Brooke Laidley cut the lead to 2-1 with a home run in the top of the fourth but WashU answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-1 lead. In the fifth Katie Price led off with a double to right-center and was bunted over to third base by Mackenzie Myers. Susan Buchanan then drove Price in with a single to right field to make the game 4-2. However, the Westminster comeback fell short as the Bears added runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth to win the game 6-2.

Zemianek took the loss for the Blue Jays, going four innings and giving up four runs off seven hits. Price threw two innings of relief and surrendered two runs off two hits.

In the second game, the Bears leaped out to an early lead with a four-run second inning. In the top of the third back-to-back singles from Emily Lucitt and Laney Rosson set up Laidley with two-on and no outs. Laidley delivered a double down the left-field line to plate Lucitt and send Rosson to third. Rosson then scored on a groundout by Price. Laidley then scored on a throwing error to cut the lead to 4-3.

The Bears lead off the bottom of the inning with a homer to make the game 5-3. Rosson cut the deficit back to a run with an RBI groundout in the fourth but a four-run fifth inning gave the Bears some breathing room. After the rally, WashU was able to hold the Blue Jays scoreless for the final two frames to win the game 9-4 and sweep the doubleheader.

Madison Ingram took the loss after giving up nine runs (seven earned) over 4.1 innings.

Next up the Blue Jays will play a doubleheader at Stephens College on Thursday.