The Webster University softball team has been doing the splits lately, settling for its fourth straight doubleheader split, this time on April 2 at Greenville College (IL). The Gorloks held onto a comfortable lead in a 12-11 win in game one, but couldn't hold on in game two as the Panthers scored four in the seventh for an 8-7 loss.
In the opener, the Gorloks took a commanding lead with a seven-run fourth. Katlyn Garza (SO, O'Fallon, MO/Ft. Zumwalt North HS) singled to left. Karissa Cardenas (JR, Henderson, CO/Prairie View HS) was hit by a pitch. Kate Sullens (JR, Highland, IL/Highland HS) walked to load the bases. Katelyn Johnson (JR, Cambridge, IL/Woodstock HS) looped a single into left scoring Sydney Bierman (FR, Knob Noster, IL/Knob Noster HS), who pinch-ran for Garza.
Tessa Johannng (SO, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan HS) reached on an error, with Cardenas scoring. Carol Ann Weiler (SO, St. Peter's, MO/Ft. Zumwalt East HS) was also hit by a pitch, forcing in Johnson and leaving the bases still loaded. Sidney Coleman (JR, Fredericksburg, VA/Fountain-Ft. Carson HS) followed with a grand slam homer to dead center field, scoring four more and giving Webster an 8-1 lead.
Webster extended its lead to 10-1 in the fifth. Cardenas was once again hit by a pitch, and Sullens reached on an error by the Greenville right fielder, with Cardenas taking third. Johnson grounded out to the mound as Cardenas scored and Sullens took second. Sullens stole third base and would score on a passed ball.
Greenville answered with a seven-run inning of its own in the bottom half of the fifth. Johanning, who had started on the mound for Webster, walked the first two Panthers in the inning, then allowed three straight singles and a double as the Webster lead shrunk to 10-5. Chelsea Thornley (SO, Clinton, MO/Clinton HS) relieved and walked the first two batters she faced, loading the bases up and forcing in a run. Thornley gave up a double for two more Panther runs and Alexis Spriggs (JR, Scott City, MO/Scott Citty HS) was summoned from the pen. Spriggs ended the rally by retiring the final two batters in the inning as Greenville edged to within two runs as Webster led, 10-8.
The Gorloks picked up two important insurance runs in the seventh with two down. Johanning and Weiler singled, and Coleman followed with an RBI single, scoring Johanning and Weiler to make it, 12-8, Webster.
Spriggs gave up a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, then allowed a single and triple as Greenville closed to within 12-11. But she struck out the final batter, leaving the tying run at third. Spriggs wound up pitching 2 2/3 innings for the save, giving up three hits and three runs, and Johanning picking up her second win of the season.
Coleman had a big game for the Gorloks, going 2-5 with the home run and six RBIs. Garza was 2-3 with an RBI and Johnson was 1-5 with two RBIs. Johanning was 1-4 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a walk, and Weiler was 1-2 with two runs scored, an RBI and a walk. The Gorloks wound up with just eights hits while generating 12 runs, but were the beneficiaries of four Panther walks, five errors, and three hit batsmen.
In game two, Webster built a 3-0 lead. A pair of errors led to a Gorlok run in the fourth and a Weiler double scored Sullens and Johnson in the fifth. Greenville scored four runs of its own in the fifth off Webster starter Spriggs. A walk, single, and three Panther doubles gave Greenville a 4-3 lead.
Webster came right back in the fifth, with Sullens singling in a run and scoring herself on a Greenville error. A double by Weiler scored Johnson to give the Gorloks a 6-4 lead. Webster added one more run in the seventh when Cardenas singled home Emily Kolisch (JR, St. Louis, MO/Incarnate Word Academy) and the Gorloks had a 7-4 lead.
Spriggs started for the Gorloks and had been scored on in just the one inning heading into the seventh, but couldn't retire a batter in the frame. After giving up a leadoff triple, a Gorlok error scored one run and a Greenville single put the tying runs on base. But a walk-off Panther three-run homer gave Greenville an 8-7 win.
Weiler was 2-3 with three RBIs and a double. Sullens was 2-4 with two runs, an RBI and a walk, and Johnson was 3-4 with a double, RBI, and run scored. Spriggs took the loss, falling to 1-4 on the season.
Webster is 2-2 in the SLIAC and 5-11 overall. Greenville is 1-1 in the SLIAC and 6-12-1 overall.
