Riding two more solid starts, the Webster University baseball team swept Spalding University, 7-1 and 4-2, on April 29 at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, IL. Josh Fleming and Jack Bensinger each continued to bolster the starting staff as Webster extended its winning streak to nine straight games.
In the game one win, Fleming threw all seven innings, giving up just three hits, no walks, one unearned run, and striking out 10. After missing the first half of the season due to injury, Fleming is now 3-0 and rounding into his freshman form when he was 7-3 with a 2.87 ERA, and 86 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings.
The Webster offense was powered by a base-clearing double by Jeff Kammer (SR, Chesterfield, MO/Lafayette HS) and Kyle Uhrich's (JR, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves HS) 10th home run of the season. Kammer's double came in the first after walks to Mike Wick (SO, Bartlett, IL/Bartlett HS) and Uhrich, and a single by Blake Thomas (SR, Troy, IL/Triad HS) loaded the bases.
Webster scored three more in the second to take a 6-0 lead. Matt Wollnik (JR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley HS) and Mike Golich (SO, Aurora, IL/West Aurora HS) singled, and Wick laid down a sacrifice bunt. Brandon Smith (JR, Imperial, MO/Seckman HS) singled in two, and then circled the bases as the Golden Eagle center fielder overran the ball as it rolled all the way to the wall. Uhrich hit a solo shot in the fifth for the final run of the contest, giving Webster its 7-1 lead.
Kammer was 2-3 with a double and three RBIs, Uhrich was 1-2 with the home run, an RBI, two runs scored and a walk, and Smith was 1-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Uhrich is tied for the SLIAC lead with 10 home runs and second in RBIs with 39.
In game two, Bensinger rolled along, giving up just six hits, a walk, and two runs in eight innings of work. He is now 7-2 on the season to go with a 1.87 earned run average, the lowest in the SLIAC. Mitch Stefani (SR, Aurora, IL/Waubonsie Valley HS) pitched the ninth, giving up a leadoff hit, then retiring the next three batters for his third save of the year.
Webster scored one in the first, two in the second, and one in the fourth. Wick was 2-4 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored. Wick leads the Gorloks with a .381 average. Wollnik was 2-3 with a double and two runs scored, and Smith was 1-2 with an RBI, run scored, and was hit by pitches twice.
Seven Webster seniors were honored in a pre-game ceremony. Bensinger, Ryan Fischer, Kammer, Zack Pawlowski, Dylan Rajkovich, Stefani, and Thomas all were recognized as parents and family members joined them on the field. This could be their last game at GCS Ballpark, but the seven might have another opportunity if the Gorloks advance to the NCAA III Central Regional, which is being hosted by Webster at GCS on May 18-22.
Webster is 16-4 in the SLIAC and 10-2 in the SLIAC West, the best record overall and first in the West. The Gorloks are 23-12 overall on the season. Spalding falls to 12-8 in the SLIAC and 22-15 overall.
The Gorloks travel to the Chicago area on May 1 to play a doubleheader vs. Concordia University in River Forest, IL. The Cougars are currently ranked 14th nationally and fourth in the NCAA III Central Region with a 26-8 record.
