The Webster University baseball team went to 2-0 with a 14-2 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor, on February 25 in Millington, TN. The Gorloks won in seven innings as Matt Goro threw five shutout innings for the victory.
Goro (SR, Wildwood, MO/Lafayette) sailed through five scoreless innings, scattering four hits and striking out six for the win. Webster jumped out to an early lead and built up a 14-0 advantage before settling for the 14-2 final.
In the top of second, Mike Wick (JR, Bartlett, IL/Bartlett) singled with one out, and stole third with two down. Eric Outlaw (FR, Park Ridge, IL/Maine West) singled Wick home and Conner Wardlaw (JR, Arnold, MO/Jefferson College) followed with his first home run as a Gorlok to stake Webster to a 3-0 lead.
In the third, Wick singled and, after a fielder's choice, swiped third. He scored on a sac bunt by Outlaw, who was safe on the play. He promptly stole second and would steal third. Outlaw would score when Nate Tholl (JR, Tinley Ridge, IL/John A. Logan CC), reached on an error, giving Webster a 5-0 lead.
Zach Bishop (JR, Marshall, MO/Marshall) and Dakota DeFreitas (JR, Brechin, Ontario/John Wood CC), the Gorloks' first Canadian player, walked to start the fifth. With one down, Ben Dinter (JR, Gurnee, IL/College of Lake County), pinch-hitting for Wick, walked to load the bases. Joe Swanson (FR, Park Ridge, IL/Maine West) singled as Bishop crossed the plate. Wardlaw singled to score DeFreitas and Dinter to extend the lead to 8-0.
Kyle Uhrich (SR, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves) was hit by a pitch to open the sixth. Bishop walked and pinch-hitter Brandon Smith (SR, Imperial, MO/Seckman) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Matt Wollnik (SR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley) walked in Uhrich for the Gorloks' ninth run. Dinter and Christian Dahncke (JR, Vienna, IL/Vienna) both walked as Webster took an 11-0 lead with the bases loaded and still no one out. Wollnik took home on a passed ball as Dinter and Dahncke moved up on the play. With one out, Dinter would also score on a passed ball. Dahncke came home on a Wardlaw single and it was 14-0.
Joe Elfink (SR, Leopold, MO/Leopold) took over for Goro for mop up duty on the mound in the sixth. After Mary Hardin scored an unearned run, Brett Jungles (SR, Naperville, IL/St. Francis) came on for Webster. The Crusaders would add another run as Webster led, 14-2.
Singles by Wollnik, Dintner, and pinch-hitter David Williams (JR, St. Louis, MO/Ritenour) loaded the bases with none down for Webster in the seventh, but the Gorloks went down in order. Matt Mulhearn (FR, Chicago Heights, IL/Marian Catholic) pitched a scoreless seventh as Webster won on the 10-run rule, 14-2.
Wardlaw was 3-5 with a home run and five RBIs on the afternoon. Outlaw was 2-4 with two RBIs, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. Tholl was 3-6 with an RBI and Wick was 2-2 with two walks and two runs scored.
Mary Hardin-Baylor, a member of the American Southwest Conference, is located in Belton, TX. The Crusaders were 11-28 in 2016. Webster concludes its Memphis swing with a game vs. Millsaps College (MS) on February 26.
