The Webster University softball team split a doubleheader at Eureka College (IL), dropping the opener 5-4 and breaking out the bats for a 15-6 win in the nightcap. A sweep by the Gorloks would have propelled them into the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason tournament, but the team came up short.
In the opener, Webster had tied the game, 4-4, in the top of the seventh after Katlyn Garza (SO, O'Fallon, MO/Ft. Zumwalt North HS) reached on an error with one down, and a Katelyn Johnson (JR, Cambridge, IL/Woodstock HS) double scored pinch-runner Karissa Cardenas (JR, Henderson, CO/Prairie View HS). Alexis Spriggs (JR, Scott City, MO/Scott City HS) had relieved Chelsea Thornley in the fifth. After giving up a leadoff double in the seventh, Spriggs retired the next two batters but a Gorlok error allowed the game winner to score.
The Gorloks had raced to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Kate Sullens (JR, Highland, IL/Highland HS) walked to lead off and Johnson reached on a fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt. Carol Ann Weiler (SO, St. Peter's, MO/Ft. Zumwalt East HS) doubled home Sullens and Johnson, and Sidney Coleman (Fredericksburg, VA/Fountain-Ft. Carson HS) followed with another double to score Weiler.
The Red Devils scored in their half of the first after a pair of walks by Webster starter Thornley (SO, Clinton, MO/Clinton HS) led to a run. The scored remained, 1-1, until the bottom of the fifth when Eureka took a 5-4 lead. Walks once again got Thornley in a jam as the first two Red Devils reached. A Gorlok error let one run in and runners at second and third. A two-out single scored two more and Eureka had the lead. Spriggs was summoned from the bullpen and retired the final two batters to end the threat.
Thornley went four and 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits, four walks, and four earned runs. She struck out two while not figuring in the decision. Spriggs took the loss, going 2 1/3 of an inning, giving up one hit and one unearned run.
Weiler was 1-3 with a double, two RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. Coleman was 1-3 with a double and RBI.
In game two, Webster took a 3-0 lead, fell behind, 5-4, grabbed the lead back with a four-run fifth, then put the game away with a seven-run seventh.
A Coleman walk, a wild pitch, an Erin McGinnis (SR, Fenton, MO/Rockwood Summit HS) RBI single, and a two-run homer by Kayla Day (JR, Caruthers, CA/Caruthers HS) gave Webster a 3-0 lead in the second. Spriggs started game two and Eureka reached her for a run in the second and two in the third. Webster scored on a pair of Eureka errors in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead. A pair of Eureka singles and a double put them right back ahead in the fourth, 5-4.
But two big innings by the Gorloks gave them the victory. In the fifth, Emily Kolisch (JR, St. Louis, MO/Incarnate Word Academy) singled and Johnson walked. After Weiler reached on a fielder's choice, Kolisch scored on a passed ball to tie the game at 5-5. Coleman singled, and with two out, McGinnis singled to score Weiler and advance Coleman to third. Coleman scored on a passed ball, with McGinnis moving up, and McGinnis came home on a Garza single to make it 8-5.
Five hits, three walks, and a Red Devil error led to seven Gorloks runs in the seventh. The inning was highlighted by RBI doubles by Coleman and Johnson and was more than enough insurance as Webster won, 15-6.
Spriggs went five innings for the win and with both decisions for the doubleheader, is 7-9 on the year. She allowed six hits, three walks, and two earned runs. Paige Prather (SR, Evansville, IN/Evansville Central HS) threw the final two innings, giving up a hit, walk, and one unearned run.
Day was 1-2 with the home run and two RBIs. McGinnis was 2-3 with two RBIs and a walk, and Coleman was 2-3 with a double, RBI, and a walk.
Webster finished 11-7 in the SLIAC and will have to wait and see if they are mathematically eliminated from the SLIAC tournament, currently sitting in fifth place. Webster is 17-20 overall on the season. Eureka is now 13-5 and 31-7 overall. A Webster sweep would have left both teams at 12-6 in the SLIAC, with the Gorloks holding the head to head tie-breaker.
