(St. Louis, Mo.) - The Webster Gorloks softball season came to an end on Friday evening with a 4-2 loss to the Maryville Saints in the championship game of the SLIAC Tournament at ABC Ball Park. Earlier on Friday Webster stayed alive in the tournament with a 3-1 win over Blackburn at Maryville University.

    In the elimination game WU (22-17) got on the board first when Kelsey Washam took advantage of dropped foul pop up by the first baseman then a couple of pitches later ripped a double to the gap in left center scoring Dana Vahey with the first run of the ball game. Blackburn (14-14) tied the game in the third with a runners at the corner and two down on a single back up the middle.

    The Gorloks regained the lead though in the fourth when Mandy VanVelkinburgh lined a double off the left center field fence then moved to third on a single by Nancy LaRose. VanVelkinburgh scored what proved to be the winning run on a wild pitch sliding just under the tag at the plate.

    Webster added an insurance run in the fifth when Washam launched her 15th home run of the season, a solo shot, with two outs to center field.

    That would be all the support Megan Sperry needed as she held the Beavers to just one run on seven hits with six strikeouts against two walks to improve to 12-8.

    In the championship game vs. Maryville, the Saints (27-15) jumped on top with a pair of runs in the first inning on a triple, a walk, a single and a throwing error by Vahey. The Gorloks came right back though in the bottom of the inning getting a lead off single from Vahey then she stole second and advanced to third on Maria Hibbard's bunt single. Washam drove home Vahey with the first run singling deep into the hole at short. After a passed ball moved the runners to second and third Sam Dittman lifted a sacrifice fly down the right field line allowing Hibbard to score the tying run and move Washam to third with one out but she was stranded their after a strikeout and a ground out to short ended the inning.

    WU had a great opportunity to take the lead in the second with LaRose at second and two out Vahey singled to center but LaRose was thrown out at the plate ending the inning. Neither side threatened over the next two innings but Maryville regained the lead in its half of the fifth after an error opened the frame it moved the runner over to second with a sacrifice bunt then a double and a triple plated two runs to make it 4-2.

    After that the Gorloks were retired in order over the final three innings to see their season come to an end.
   
    Gina Trapani took the loss tossing a complete game allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits with a walk and three Ks to end the season at 10-4.

    Washam, Sperry, and Hibbard were all selected to the All-Tournament squad.