Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Taking a fall in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the Webster University softball team lost a doubleheader to Fontbonne University, 4-2 and 7-1, at Blackburn Park, on April 20.  The losses drop the Gorloks back in the thick of the pack in the batlle for second place as the Griffins firmly hold down the top spot.

Webster falls to 5-3 in the SLIAC and three losses off the pace.  Having only two conference games remaining, Fontbonne has all but locked up first place at 14-0.  The Gorloks still have eight games in the SLIAC to play while Westminster College, with two losses, still has 10 games, and Spalding University at four losses, only has four league games remaining.

The unusually cold, rainy, and snowy spring has left a greater disparity in the number of conference games played between teams than usual.  Plenty of things can still happen in the race for the second seed for the.conference.

In game one, Wester starter Trisha Thompson (JR, Xavier Prep HS, AZ) scattered three Fontbonne hits in the first two innings without allowing a run but wasn't as fortunate when a two-out single turned into a run when left fielder Rachel Franck (FR, McCluer North HS, MO) seemed to cross signals with center fielder Molly Muntz (JR, Streator HS, IL) resulting in a dropped fly on the next batterand a Griffin run.  After a Fontbonne solo home run in the fifth to make it 2-0, the Gorloks rallied for two to tie in the sixth.

Samantha Powers (JR, John F. Kennedy HS, MO) walked to lead off and after a one out walk to Franck, the Gorloks worked a double steal with Powers taking home as Franck stole second.  Muntz reached on an infield hit as Franck held at third.  Franck scored on a ground out to second by Jessica Arcangel (SR, St. Lucy's Priory HS, CA).

The excitement was short lived as Fontbonne turned three seventh inning singles into two runs and held Webster scoreless in the bottom of the inning for the win.  Thompson, who took a nasty line drive off her mid-section early in the contest, allowed three earned runs on nine hits and no walks, while striking out six.  Thompson did not allow a walk for her fourth straight start and hasn't allowed a walk in nine of her last 11 starts.  She falls to 7-7 on the season.

The Gorloks had a rough start in game two, making three errors in the first inning as Fontbonne took an early 3-0 lead with three unearned runs of starter Powers.  Kayla Mahoney (SR, Fox HS, MO) put Webster on the board with her third home run of the season, a solo shot in the second.  Powers got herself into a big jam in the Fontbonne third by walking the first three batters.  A questionable safe call, on what appeared to be a force out at home plate, scored one run but Webster got out of any further damage with two more force outs at home on throws from short by Arcangel.

Meanwhile, the Gorloks couldn't string anything together offensively and had the ignoble feat of having nine batters strike out looking in the game.  Franck was two for four in the game, and four for seven in the doubleheader with two stolen bases.   Powers took the loss, falling to 3-3 on the year.

Five Webster seniors were honored in a pre-game ceremony.  Arcangel, Kaytlin Burzak (SR, Bishop McNamara HS, IL), Mahoney, Thompson, and Aly Watson (Ft. Zumwalt South HS, MO)-who could not attend-were all recognized for their playing careers at Webster.

Webster hits the road for a doubleheader at MacMurray College, in Jacksonville, IL, on April 22.