Box Score 1 The Webster University softball team dropped a doubleheader, losing a slugfest in the opener, and saw a close game for five innings fall apart in the nightcap. The Gorloks lost, 14-10, to the College of St. Benedict (MN) and to Ohio Northern University, 17-5, on March 7 at Clermont, FL.
Webster took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the first against St. Benedict, scoring three unearned runs on three hits and two errors. Laura Zeegers (JR, Oviedo, FL/Leon HS) and Chelsea Thornley (FR, Clinton, MO/Clinton HS) both singled home runs in the rally.
Zeegers doubled home another run in the second to make it 4-2, Webster. Starting pitcher Alexis Spriggs (SO, Scott City, MO/Scott City HS) was touched for five runs on three hits, two walks, and a hit batsman in the third, as the Blazers took a 7-4 lead.
Webster made it 7-7 in the fourth, with four hits and Zeegers again having the key hit, a two-run single. St. Benedict came right back in the top of the fifth and scored four more, knocking Spriggs out of the game as it took an 11-7 lead.
The Gorloks once again rallied in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three on three hits, a walk, and an error. Thornley had a lead-off triple, Kaitlyn Kinne (JR, Paducah, KY/Heath HS) singled her home, Alyssa Sapp (JR, Ashland, MO/Southern Boone HS) singled in a run, and Zeegers added another RBI on a groundout. Webster had crawled to within 11-10, but another three-run inning in the sixth by St. Benedict iced the game, giving it a 14-10 lead that turned out to be the final.
Zeegers was 3-4, with five RBIs, a double, and a run scored. Thornley was 2-4 with a triple, RBI, and run scored. Sapp was 2-3, with three runs scored, an RBI, and a walk. Webster had 12 hits and 10 runs but the Gorloks couldn't hold off the Blazer attack, which had 16 hits to go with the 14 runs.
In game two, Webster was down, 3-2, after one inning and, 7-4, after five innings against Ohio Northern. Tessa Johanning (FR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan HS) was called on to go the distance to give the weary Webster staff a rest. The Gorloks allowed 10 runs over the final two innings as the Webster defense, as it had against Trine University the previous day, had a tough time of it. Eight of the Polar Bears runs were unearned in the 17-5 final.
Zeegers was 2-4 with two RBIs against Ohio Northern, giving her seven on the evening. Sapp was 2-4, with two runs scored, and Erin McGinnis (JR, Fenton, MO/Rockwood Summit HS) was 1-3, with three runs scored and a walk.
The Gorloks are 1-6 overall and continue their spring trip with games vs. the State University of New York-Oneonta and Transylvania University (KY) on March 8 at Clermont.
