The Webster University softball team ground out two big victories on the road, defeating Blackburn College, 7-3 and 9-8, on April 9 in Carlinville, IL. The Gorloks picked up two wins in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with the sweep.
In the game one win, Katelyn Johnson (JR, Cambridge, IL/Woodstock HS) singled to center in the first inning and with two down, Sidney Coleman (JR, Fredericksburg, VA/Fountain-Ft. Carson HS) reached first on a dropped third strike. Johnson came around to score on an error on the Blackburn first baseman. After Coleman stole second she came home on a Tessa Johanning (SO, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan HS) single to center to make it 2-0.
The Beavers would cut it to a 2-1 lead off Webster starter Alexis Spriggs (JR, Scott City, MO/Scott City HS) in the second, with a leadoff double and a two-out single scoring a run. Webster would get that run back in the third when Kate Sullens (JR, Highland, IL/Highland HS) singled and Carol Ann Weiler (SO, St. Peter's, MO/Ft. Zumwalt East HS) doubled her home.
The Gorloks manufactured a run in the fourth inning. Kayla Day (JR, Caruthers, CA/Caruthers HS) reached on a dropped third strike, pinch-runner Sydney Bierman (FR, Knob Noster, MO/Knob Noster HS) stole second, then moved to third on a groundout. She would score on a sacrifice fly to center by Kaylyn DeCock (SR, Bettendorf, IA/Bettendorf HS) to make it 4-1.
The teams traded runs in the fifth. Sullens walked for Webster, stole second, and scored on a single by Coleman. Blackburn got that run back in its half of the innning on a solo homer off Spriggs as Webster entered the sixth up, 5-2. The Gorloks would add two more insurance runs in the seventh. Sullens walked, Johnson reached on an error, and a double by Weiler scored them both for a 7-2 lead.
Spriggs allowed another solo homer in the seventh for the 7-3 final. She went seven innings, gave up seven hits, walked three and struck out eight while picking up her second win of the season. Weiler was 2-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. Johnson was 2-4 with two runs and Sullens was 0-1 with three walks, three runs, and two stolen bases.
In game two, the Gorloks opened up a 4-1 lead in the second inning. Johanning reached on an error and Day singled. Emily Kolisch (JR, St. Louis, MO/Incarnate Word Academy) singled to load the bases. Chelsea Fullmer (FR, DeSoto, IL/Carbondale HS) reached on an error with Johanning scoring. A passed ball scored Day and moved the runners up to second and third. A Sullens single to center plated Kolisch and Fullmer for the fourth runs in the inning.
A two run single by Kolisch in the third made it 6-1 Webster but the Beavers put a seven-spot on Gorlok starter Johanning in their half of the third before, Paige Prather (SR, Evansville, IL/Central HS) relieved and ended the threat with the Gorloks down, 8-6.
Sullens singled with one down in the fourth and Johnson followed with her first home run of the season, tying the game at 8-8.
The Gorloks won it with a run in the seventh. Coleman reached on an error and after a Johanning single, came around to score on an error by the Blackburn second baseman to give Webster a 9-8 lead.
Praither wound up going the final 4 1/3 innings, giving up three hits, five walks, and no runs for the win. It was her first decision of the season as she is 1-0.
Sullens was 3-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, and Kolisch was 2-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Johnson was 2-4 with the home run, two RBIs and run scored, and Day was 2-4 with a run scored.
Webster is 4-6 in the SLIAC and 7-15 overall with the wins. Webster will host the St. Louis College of Pharmacy for a doubleheader on April 13 at Blackburn Park, in a non-conference matchup.
