The Webster University softball team lost two games at the PFX Games, on March 6, in Clermont, FL, losing to Austin College (TX), 8-2, and Wesleyan College (GA), 12-11, in nine innings. The Gorlok offense pounded out 30 hits on the day, including a rarity by Laura Zeegers, but came up empty handed.
GAME TWO: The Gorloks raced to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. With one out, Carol Ann Weiler (SO, St. Peter's, MO/Ft. Zumwalt East HS), Kate Sullens (JR, Highland, IL/Southwestern Illinois College), and Tessa Johanning (SO, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan HS) singled to load the bases. Zeegers (SR, Oviedo, FL/Leon, HS) hit a line-drive into the gap and cirled the bases for a rare inside-the-park grand slam, staking Webster to a 4-0 lead. Wesleyan came right back in its half of the first to score three off Webster starter Johanning.
Webster added two more in the second. Karissa Cardenas (JR, Henderson, CO/Garden City CC) reached on an error and Katelyn Johnson (JR, Cambridge, IL/Illinois Valley CC) reached on a bunt single. Sullens singled with one out, Johnson taking third. Johnson overran third and was cut down at home, but Sullens took second on the play. Sullens then stole third and scored on an error by the Wolves' third baseman to make is 6-3.
In the third, Coleman singled and Kayla Day (JR, Caruthers, CA/West Hills Coalinga CC) reached on an E5 with Coleman circling the bases on a throw into right field. but Day was cut down at the plate trying to score. Cardenas was hit by a pitch to reach and Johnson tripled Cardenas home. Weiler singled home Johnson to make it 9-3 Gorloks. Webster had already amassed 13 hits after just three innings.
Weslleyan picked up single runs in the third and fourth to cut the Webster lead to 9-5. After the Wolves scored another run in the fifth, to make it 9-6, and had the bases loaded with one down, Alexis Spriggs (JR, Scott City, MO/Scott City HS) relieved. Spriggs struck out the first batter she saw and got the second on a pop up to end the threat. The Wolves rallied in the sixth, though, with two down. A single, walk, triple, and another single scored three and tied the game at 9-9.
Webster threatened in the seventh when Emily Kolisch (JR, St. Louis, MO/Incarnate Word Academy) singled with one out and Johnson singled with two down, but Kolisch was cut down at the plate trying to score to end the threat.
Spriggs retired the Wolves in the seventh and the game headed to extra innings. Per the softball rule, a runner is placed at second to start the inning and the Gorloks sent Johnson to second. Sullens doubled Johnson home with one down to give Webster the lead, 10-9, heading into the bottom of the eighth.
Wesleyan returned the favor in its half, doubling home a run with one down to tie the game at 10-10. But Spriggs retired the next two batters and the game headed to the ninth. The Gorloks placed Zeegers on second to start the ninth and Coleman sacrificed her to third. With two down, Kolisch singled to give Webster the lead again heading into the bottom of the ninth. The Wolves had a lead off triple to tie it up in their half and the Gorloks were in a big jam with none down. Wesleyan ended it quickly with a single to win, 12-11.
Johanning went 4 1/3 innings, giving up 11 hits and six runs for no decision. Spriggs went 3 2/3 innings, giving up six hits and four runs, while striking out three. She fell to 1-2 on the season with the loss.
Webster banged out 17 hits in the loss. Sullens was 4-5 with two RBIs, a double, and two runs scored. Zeegers was 1-5 with the grand slam, four RBIs, and two runs. Johnson was 3-5 with a triple, RBI, and two runs. Weiler was 2-5 with an RBI and run scored, and Johanning, Day, and Kolisch all had two hits in the game.
GAME ONE: Webster fell behind, 2-0, in the second inning but cut the lead to one in the third. Cardenas reached on an error to start the inning and wound up scoring from third on a two-out single by Sullens to make the deficit 2-1.
A six-run Kangaroo six-run fourth inning put the Gorloks in a deep 8-1 hole. Four Webster errors played a key role in the rally, with all six runs off starter Chelsea Thornley (SO, Clinton, MO/Clinton HS) being unearned. Paige Prather (SR, Evansville, IN/Central HS) was called on, with five runs in and a runner at third, to relieve Thornley. The runner at third would score on a Gorlok error, but Prather got the last three outs, the final two on a line-drive double play by first baseman Katlyn Garza (SO, O'Fallon, MO/Ft. Zumwalt North HS).
Webster would some noise in the seventh, starting the inning with four straight singles by Sullens, Johanning, Sidney Coleman (JR, Fredericksburg, VA/Garden City CC), and Garza. Sullens scored on Coleman's hit, but that would be the only run the Gorloks would score to make it an 8-2 final.
Thornley took the loss and is 0-2, giving up seven hits and eight runs, only two earned, in three inings. Prather went the final four innings, giving up two hits and no runs, and striking out one.
Webster wound up with 13 hits in the game. Sullens was 3-4 with an RBI and Johanning was 3-4 also. Coleman went 2-4 with an RBI.
Webster is now 1-5 on the season. The Gorloks will finish their trip with two games on March 8 vs. Manhattanville College (NY) and Lakeland College (WI).
