CHICAGO – Strong pitching performances led the University of Chicago baseball team to a 4-1 victory over Grinnell College on Saturday.

The Maroons improved to 8-6 on the season and 4-1 in the Midwest Conference. The Pioneers fell to 4-13 overall (2-6 MWC).

Sophomore Drew Bryan and junior Hayden Brotz created plenty of swings and misses over the course of the afternoon. The two Maroon righthanded pitchers combined to strike out 13 batters in nine innings while only allowing five hits. It marked the fifth double-digit strikeout game this year for UChicago.

Bryan earned the victory in 5.2 innings of work. He struck out nine batters while allowing one run on three hits with four walks. Brotz was lights out in relief with 3.1 scoreless innings. He fanned four versus two hits allowed.  

Offensively, UChicago loaded the bases in the bottom of the second inning and came away with two runs. A balk brought in one, while sophomore Noah Nelson's sacrifice fly made it 2-0.

Nelson struck again in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single to center. A wild pitch later scored the runner from third to make it 4-0.

Grinnell got one back with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. But that was all the Pioneers would get after that. In the two instances when the visitors put a runner in scoring position, Brotz struck out the next batter to end the threat.

UChicago finished with seven hits and two errors. Senior Brett Riegler went 2-for-4 at the dish.

NEXT GAMES:

• Sunday, April 10 @ 11:00 AM – Grinnell College at UChicago (DH)