Splitting the first two games of its California swing, the Webster University baseball team won at Chapman College, 10-3 and lost 3-2, on March 5, in Orange, CA. The Gorloks' seven-run second inning powered them in the opener and they lost the nightcap on a run in the bottom of the ninth.
GAME ONE: Webster jumped out of the gates in the first two innings. Mike Golich (SO, Aurora, IL/Aurora West HS) reached on an error and stole second, and Brandon Smith (JR, Imperial, MO/Seckman HS) was hit by a pitch. Blake Thomas (SR, Troy, IL/Triad HS) walked with one out to load the bases. Kyle Uhrich (JR, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves HS) reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Golich. After Uhrich stole second, Smith scored on a Panther error of the play to make it 2-0.
In the Gorlok second, Adam Naliwajko (JR, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator HS) singled, Jake Celleghin (SR, Westfield, IN/Westfield HS) walked, and Golich singled to load the bases. Smith singled to center with two runs scoring. With Smith swiping second, Golich scored on an error by the catcher. Zach Bishop (JR, Marshall, MO/Marshall HS) singled and Thomas walked, loading the bases again. Smith scored on a wild pitch with Bishop and Thomas moving up.
Uhrich reached on an error by the left fielder, taking second on the play as Bishop scored and Thomas took third. Matt Wollnik (JR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley HS) reached on an error with Thomas and Uhrich scoring the sixth and seventh runs of the inning.
The teams traded runs in the fifth to make it a 10-1 score. Matt Goro (JR, Wildwood, MO/Lafayette HS) started for the Gorloks and went seven innings, giving up four hits and a run, and striking out five. Despite having two solid outings in previous starts, the win was Goro's first of the season, making him 1-0. In 24 innings pitched, Goro has a 1.12 ERA on the season. Zack Pawlowski (SR, Mundelein, IL/Mundelein HS) took over in the eighth and pitched two innings, allowing two unearned runs in the ninth, to close out the contest.
Thomas was 1-2, with a double, run scored, and three walks. Smith was 1-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
GAME TWO: The Panthers scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to win, 3-2. Both teams scored in the first inning, with Webster's run coming after Smith had singled and was thrown out at home on a double by Bishop. With two out, Thomas struck out swinging and the ball eluded the Chapman catcher as Thomas reached first and Bishop third. An errant pickoff attempt on Thomas allowed Bishop to score.
Webster took a 2-1 lead in the sixth when Bishop walked and took second on a passed ball. Bishop then scored when Uhrich reached on an error by the Panther third baseman to give Webster the lead. The Gorloks gave up a run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 2-2.
Pitcher Jack Bensinger (GR, Los Angeles, CA/Campbell Hall) gave Webster another solid start, going 7 2/3 innings, giving up six hits, two walks, and two earned runs. Trey Tigart (JR, Sikeston, MO/Sikeston HS) relieved Bensinger with two out and no one on in the eighth, and retired the final out after giving up a single.
Tigart got into a jam in the ninth, though, loading the bases with no one out. The Gorloks got a break when they picked the runner off third, as the other runners moved up to second and third. A Panther walk loaded the bases again, but this time a single through the left side sent the winning run home for Chapman. It was the first earned run giving up by Tigart in 12 1/3 innings this season as he fell to 0-2 with the loss.
Bishop wound up 1-3 with a double, two runs scored, and reached on a walk.
Webster is 5-4 on the season and is back in action on March 7 with a single game at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA. The Gorloks have a single game on March 8 at the University of the Redlands in Redlands, CA.
