The Webster University baseball team won the rubber game in a weekend series with Westminster College, winning 14-2 in seven innings on April 10 in Fulton, MO. The Gorloks saw the 2016 debut of Josh Fleming on the mound, while the offense had its second highest run total on the season...with a little help from the Blue Jays.
Gorloks took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Mike Wick (SO, Bartlett, IL/Bartlett HS) and Brandon Smith (JR, Imperial, MO/Seckman HS) walked to open the inning. A Kyle Uhrich (JR, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves HS) single to left scored Wick and a Jake Milosch (FR, St. Charles, IL/St. Charles East HS) single sent Smith home. Webster made it 5-0 in the third. With one down, Matt Murawski (FR, Mokena, IL/St. Rita HS) and Wick walked. After Murawski and Wick pulled off a double steal, Smith walked to load the bases. Blake Thomas (SR, Troy, IL/Triad HS) doubled home Murawski and Wick. Uhrich walked to load the bases back up and a Milosch sac fly plated Smith to make it 5-0.
Webster tacked on another run in the third when Murawaski hit a solo blast over the left field wall, to make it 6-0 Webster. Back to back doubles in the fourth by Uhrich and Milosch made it 7-0 as the Gorloks scored for their fourth straight inning.
The Blue Jays cut into the Gorlok lead in the bottom of the fourth. Fleming (SO, Columbia, IL/Columbia HS) had made his 2016 debut with the start for Webster, and after three scoreless innings, gave way to Johnny Lord (JR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley HS) in the fourth. Lord would give up a solo home run and a triple, with the runner at third coming home on a balk, to make it a 7-2 contest.
Webster got one of those runs back in the sixth. Uhrich singled, with Milosch reaching on a fielder's choice. Matt Wollnik (JR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley HS) and Adam Naliwajko (JR, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator HS) singled to load the bases. Dylan Rajkovich (SR, Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg HS) hit a sacrifice fly to score Milosch and give Webster an 8-2 lead.
The Blue Jays were in a charitable mood in the seventh as the Gorloks scored six more. Wick reached on an error, Smith reached on an error, and Thomas reached on an error on a fielder's choice, but was still credited with an RBI as Wick scored. Uhrich and Milosch both walked, with Milosch's walk scoring Smith. Wollnik grounded out to first to score Thomas and it was an 11-2 game. Bailey Magruder (FR, New Lenox, IL/Lincoln Way West HS), who had taken over at catcher, lofted a three-run homer over the left field wall to make it 14-2. All six Webster runs were unearned.
Milosch wound up 2-3, with three RBIs, double, and run scored. Uhrich was 3-3 with a double, RBI, and run scored. Murawski was 1-3, with a home run, RBI, walk, and run scored. Thomas was 1-4 with two RBIs and a double.
Fleming allowed no hits or runs in his three-inning stint, but gave up five walks and struck out four. Lord picked up the win, going four innings and giving up five hits and two runs, while striking out four. He is 3-2 now on the season.
Webster is 9-4 in SLIAC, 7-2 in the West Division, and 15-12 overall. Westminster falls to 6-4 in the SLIAC, 3-3 in the West Division, and 15-10 overall.
Webster will host Washington University on April 12 for a single game at GCS Ballpark.
