Wabash came within one hit of knocking off second-ranked Washington University in St. Louis Saturday afternoon at Goodrich Ballpark in an attempt to split a doubleheader. The Little Giants lost game two by a score of 7-6 after falling 7-1 in game one to the Bears.
 
Wabash (7-7) trailed undefeated Washington University (11-0) by a score of 6-2 before mounting a three-run fifth inning. Blake Juerling led off the inning with a single and scored two batters later on an RBI double by Austin Simmers. Simmers scored on an Andrew Jumonville double down the left field line to trim the lead to 6-4. The Little Giants cut the lead to one run when Jumonville scored on a throwing error by the Bears to extend the inning but were unable to bring the tying run home.
 
Washington University regained the two-run lead with a run in the sixth but the Little Giants responded with one of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Drew Prather opened the inning with a double to left center. The Little Giants took advantage of another throwing error by Bears, plating Prather to cut the lead back to one run at 7-6.
 
Wabash had an opportunity in the closing innings to tie the game or take the lead. Jumonville led off the seventh inning with a double. A walk put the go-ahead run on base, but the Little Giants could not bring the runners home, stranding two base runners to end the inning.
 
Simmers, Jumonville, and Prather each finished with two hits in the game. Simmers, Jumonville, Liam Patton, and Noah Luebbehusen drove in one run apiece.
 
Tyler Dearing took the loss on the mound for Wabash. He pitched three innings and allowed five earned runs on nine hits with one walk and one strike out. Dylan Scheid limited Washington University to two runs on five hits and two walks through six innings of relief work. He struck out five of the 22 batters he faced.
 
Game one was a completely different story for the Little Giants. Wabash was no hit through seven innings until Brayden Lentz delivered a double to right center to score Felix Valero with Wabash's only run of the game. The Bears' Ryan Loutos improved to 4-0 by holding Wabash to one hit and one earned run over eight innings as the starter.
 
Kase Lawson pitched seven strong innings for Wabash, giving up only one earned run on five hits. He struck out six batters and walked one. Erik Lakomek pitched the final two inning and surrendered three earned runs on four hits.
 
Wabash begins the North Coast Athletic Conference portion of its 2021 schedule on Friday when the Little Giants travel to Greencastle, Indiana to begin a four-game home-and-home series with DePauw University. Wabash will play two games at DePauw beginning at 1 p.m. before playing host to the Tigers for a doubleheader on Saturday also starting at 1 p.m.