The Webster University baseball team evened its record on the weekend, needing 13 innings to grind out a 4-3 win over the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, on February 29 at GCS Ballpark. Outstanding relief pitching by the Gorloks' Trey Tigart, and a run scored on a miscue in the 13th gave Webster the victory.
Matt Wollnik (JR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley HS) had an infield hit with one out in the 13th, Wollnik was still standing on second with two out when Blake Thomas (SR, Troy, IL/Triad HS) hit a bouncer to second. When the Titan first baseman couldn't come up with a bounce throw, Wollnik continued home with the game winner.
Down 1-0, the Gorloks scored two in the second inning. Jeff Kammer (SR, Chesterfield, MO/Lafayette HS) singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jake Milosch (FR, St. Charles, IL/St. Charles East HS) walked and Adam Naliwajko (JR, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator HS) bunted the runners over. Dylan Rajkovich singled in Kammer and Milosch to give Webster a 2-1 lead.
After the Titans tied it up in the third, Zach Bishop (JR, Marshall, MO/Marshall HS) walked and stole second with one down in the Gorloks' half. Kyle Uhrich (JR, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves HS) singled with Bishop stopping at third, and Kammer was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Milosch singled in Bishop to make it 3-2.
Johnny Lord (JR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley HS) took the ball for his second start of the season. Lord, who went six innings in his first start and got the win, lasted 2 2/3 innings this time out, giving up three hits, four walks, and two runs. Joe Elfrink (JR, Leopold, MO/Leopold HS) relieved in the third, ending a Gorloks jam by recording the final out, then threw two scoreless innings. A pair of Webster errors cost him an unearned run in the sixth.
Trey Tigart (JR, Sikeston, MO/Sikeston HS) was called on to relieive Elfrink after the Gorloks's committed their fifth error to open the seventh. Tigart retired the next three batters and wound up going six scoreless innings, through the 12th. In his stellar stint, he gave up two hits, two walks, and struck out seven, before giving way to Mitch Stefani (SR, Aurora, IL/Waubonsie Valley HS) in the 13th. Stefani mowed down the first three batters he saw for a scoreless 13th. For his efforts he picked up the win and is 1-1.
Uhrich was 4-5, with a double and Rajkovich was 1-3 with two RBIs, Wollnik wound up 4-7 in the game, scoring the game winner.
Webster improved to 4-3 on the season. The game completed a nine-game, three-day extended weekend which saw the Gorloks go 2-2 for their four games. For the weekend, Concordia-Chicago went 3-0, Buena Vista 3-1, North Park 1-2, and Wisconsin-Oshkosh finished 0-4.
Webster is next in action on March 5, when it begins a seven-game road trip to California that includes a three-game set with #10 ranked Linfield College. Webster also will face #22 California Lutheran
