Box Score The #22 ranked Webster University baseball team lost a second round contest, 10-6, to host Greenville College in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament on May 8. The Gorloks find themselves facing elimination as they will face Westminster College on May 9 in Greenville, IL.
In a game that started at 12:00 p.m. and ended at 9:00 p.m., the Gorloks found themselves down 9-0 after an inning and a half of play. Greenville had scored a run in the first off starter Isaac Behme (SR, Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg HS) on a pair of doubles.
But after Webster was retired in the first, the Panthers nicked Behme for four singles and a walk in the second, taking a 4-0 lead and sending Behme to an early shower. Matt Goro (SO, Wildwood, MO/Lafayette HS) was summoned from the pen, but walked two and gave up a single as two more runs scored.
Chris Jansen (SR, Cicero, IN/Bishop Chatard relieved Goro with the bases loaded, and a single scored two and a third run scored on Gorlok misplay. Jansen retired the final two batters but Webster was down, 9-0.
Jeff Kammer (SR, Chesterfield, MO/Lafayette HS) was hit by a pitch to start off the Webster second, and the skies opened up with Dylan Rajkovich (JR, Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg HS) at the plate and the field was covered.
After a five hour and 45 minute rain delay, play was resumed. Rajkovich was also hit by a pitch and Charlie Gandolfi (SR, Mundelein, IL/Mundelein HS) doubled Kammer home to make it 9-1. Jansen returned to the mound despite the delay and gave the Gorlok staff a big boost by going the final 7 2/3 innings, saving arms for the following day's games.
Webster would score single runs in the third and sixth. Blake Thomas (JR, Troy, IL/Triad HS) singled and Kammer doubled, with Thomas scoring on a groundout by Rajkovich in the third. Mike Golich (SO, Aurora, IL/West Aurora HS), Max Fecske (SO, North Hollywood, CA/Notre Dame HS), and Thomas all singled in the sixth for another to cut the deficit to 10-3.
The Gorloks provided some ninth inning excitement. Fecske doubled, Thomas singled, Kyle Uhrich (SO, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves HS) singled to score Fecske, and Kammer singled to load the bases…still with none out.
After a Panther pitching change, Rajkovich walked to score Thomas and make it 10-5. But a Matt Wollnik (SO, Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley HS) sacrifice fly was the most they could muster the final three batters for the 10-6 final.
Jansen gave up five hits and one run, walked none while striking out nine in his 7 2/3 innings. After using three pitchers in an inning and a third, Webster was able to save the rest of the staff for a possible three games on May 9.
Thomas was 3-5 with an RBI and two runs, and Kammer went 3-4 with a double and run scored. Fecske also had three hits, going 3-5 on the night with a double and run scored. Golich was 2-4 with a double, walk, and run scored.
Webster will face Westminster at 10:00 a.m. on May 9, and with a win would send the Gorloks to the championship game against Greenville at 1:00 p.m. The Gorloks, 30-12, would have to beat the Panthers twice in the double elimination format to secure their sixth straight SLIAC championship.
