The Webster University baseball team won its season opener, 5-3, over Rhodes College, on February 24 in Memphis, TN. Gorlok pitchers struck out 14 Lynx in the contest and Matt Wollnik supplied the offense with a home run and double in the contest.
Rhodes nicked Webster starter Josh Fleming (JR, Columbia, IL/Columbia) for a run in the second after a double and single gave them a 1-0 lead. Webster would tie it in the third when newcomer Conner Wardlaw (JR, Arnold, MO/Jefferson College) walked, stole second, and scored on a double by another newcomer, Nate Tholl (SO, Tinley Ridge, IL/John A Logan CC).
Rhodes came right back in its half of the third to take a 3-1 lead with two unearned runs. After Rhodes leadoff batter reached on an error, Fleming gave up a two-out home run. The Gorloks would tie the game up in the fourth, courtesy of the long ball. Zach Bishop (JR, Marshall, MO/Marshall) led off with a walk and, with one down, Wollnik (SR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley) hit a two-run shot to tie it at 3-3. It was just the third home run of Wollnik's career, and first since 2015.
Wollnik helped Webster take the lead with a double with one down in the top of the eighth. After Jake Milosch (SO, St. Charles, IL/St. Charles East) was hit by a pitch, Adam Naliwajko (JR, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator) reached on an error at short, while Wollnik crossed home with the go ahead run. The Gorloks added an insurance run in the ninth as Tholl singled and scored on a double by Bishop to make it 5-3.
Kyle Uhrich (SR, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves) came on to close out the ninth, and whiffed all three Lynx he faced swinging for the save. Fleming went six innings of work, allowing six hits, two walks, and one earned run while striking out eight. Johnny Lord (SR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley) pitched 2/3 of an inning in the seventh before Brandon Smith (SR, Imperial, MO/Seckman) took over. Smith would go an inning and a third, striking out three, and picking up the win..
Wollnik was 3-5 with the home run and double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Tholl was 2-5 with a double, stolen base, and run scored.
The Gorloks are the favorites to win the West Division in the SLIAC coaches' preseason poll. Webster won its 10th straight SLIAC regular season title in 2016, finishing with a 28-15 record. Rhodes, a member of the Southern Athletic Association, is now 4-4 on the season. The Lynx were 26-20 in 2016.
Webster is back in action on February 25 as they face the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders in Millington, TN. Mary Hardin, located in Belton, TX, is a member of the American Southwest Conference. The Gorloks wind up their trip to Memphis with a game vs. Millsaps College (MS) on February 26.
