The Webster University softball team broke out the bats and got off to a great start with an 11-10 win over Kenyon College (OH) and a 10-7 win over host Rhodes College, on February 25 in Memphis, TN. The Gorloks scored the game winner on a walk off single by Abby Burroughs in the opener, and Burroughs went deep in the nightcap as Chelsea Thornley threw a complete game win.
In a see-saw affair in the
opener vs. Kenyon, Webster scored the game winner on a walk-off single with two out by freshman Burroughs (Edwardsville, IL) in the bottom of the seventh. Fellow freshman Taylor White (St. Charles, MO/Lutheran St. Charles) had a one-out single and Kate Sullens (SR, Highland, IL/Highland) walked. Both runners moved up on a passed ball before Burroughs sent White home with the game winner.
The Lords were able to put up three runs in the first to take a 3-0 lead. The Gorloks responded with three of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Sullens reached on an error and Burroughs doubled her home with her first collegiate hit. Sidney Coleman (SR, Fredericksburg, VA/Fountain-Ft. Carson) singled home Burroughs and Tessa Johanning (JR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) followed with a double to score Coleman and knot the game at 3-3.
Webster took the lead in the third when Burroughs hit her second double of the contest and, with two out, Katlyn Garza (JR, O'Fallon, MO/Ft. Zumwalt North) singled her home. Kenyon would score a single run in the top of the fourth to tie it back up, at 4-4.
Kenyon rallied for three more runs in the fifth off Webster starter Alexis Spriggs (SR, Scotty City, MO/Scott City), with two singles and a walk. Morgan Mansur (JR, Decatur, IL/Mt. Zion) made her pitching debut for Webster, relieving Spriggs. Mansur was greeted with a double that scored a run, but Sullens threw out a runner at the plate and Mansur then retired the third out. The resilient Gorloks came right back in their half of the fifth,
Burroughs and Coleman reached on errors to start the inning. Garza's one-out single scored Coleman and Chyanne Fulmer (SO, DeSoto, IL/Carbondale) followed with a walk. Emily Kolisch (SR, St. Louis, MO/Incarnate Word) singled home Johanning, who had reached on a fielder's choice, and Garza to tie the game at 7-7. Terri Dearth, pinch-running for Fulmer, scored on a passed ball as Webster took the lead. White then singled in Kolisch with her first collegiate hit and Webster led, 9-7.
Mansur was greeted with three singles in the sixth, and a Gorlok error didn't help as the Crusaders regained the lead, 10-9. Webster managed to get that run back in the bottom half when Coleman led off with a double and scored on a Johanning single to tie the game at 10-10.
The Gorloks caught a break in the seventh when the Crusaders had a lead off single, but Webster doubled off that runner at first on a line drive to Johanning at second. Mansur coaxed the next batter to pop out to second and send the game to the bottom of the seventh still tied.
Mansur picked up the win in relief, going 2 2/3 innings and giving up one earned run. Burroughs was 3-5 with two doubles, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Coleman was 3-4 with three runs scored and Johanning and Garza went 2-4 with two RBIs. White was 2-4 with an RBI, stolen base, and a walk. Kolisch was 2-4 with an RBI.
In game two, Webster grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first vs. Rhodes. White tripled to leadoff and Sullens singled her home. Burroughs singled also and with two down, and eventually scored when Johanning reached on an error. Thornley (JR, Clinton, MO/Clinton) started on the mound for Webster and was touched for two runs in the second after a walk and single, aided by an errant pickoff throw and an error.
The Gorloks had chances in the second and third innings, but stranded two runners in each. Thornley was greeted with three straight singles in the third as Rhodes took a 4-2 lead. In the fourth White walked, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Katelyn Johnson (SR, Cambridge, IL/Woodstock) walked and swiped second as well. With one out, Burroughs socked a three-run clout, her first collegiate home run, as Webster took a 5-4 lead.
Kayla Day (SR, Caruthers, CA/Caruthers) doubled to start the fifth, with Karissa Cardenas (SR, Henderson,CO/Prairie View) pinch-running for her. Fullmer doubled Cardenas in, and Kolisch and White followed with singles to score Fulmer. With two out, Burroughs doubled, scoring Kolisch. Coleman singled, scoring Sullens, who had reached on a fielder's choice. Johanning reached on an error as Burroughs came home, giving the Gorloks a 10-4 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Thornley set the Lynx down in order in the fifth. She had scattered seven hits and allowed two earned runs at that point, walking three and striking out two. But the Lynx chipped away at the Gorlok lead in the sixth, scoring three, two via the home run route, but Webster still lead, 10-7. Webster went down in order in the seventh but Thornley set Rhodes down in order as well in its half for the win.
Thornley allowed 10 hits and five earned runs in gaining the win. Burroughs was 4-5 with four RBIs, a home run and a double, and scored three runs. She was 7-10 on the day with three doubles, a home run, six RBIs, and five runs scored. White was 3-4 with a triple and RBI, finishing the day 5-8. Kolisch was 3-4 with a double and run scored and was 5-8 on the afternoon as well. Day was 2-4 with a double.
Webster had 32 hits on the day, including nine extra-base hits.
The Gorloks, picked fifth in the 2017 SLIAC coaches' preseason poll, start the season 2-0. Webster was 11-7 in the SLIAC in 2016, just missing the conference tournament, and was 17-20 overall on the season. Kenyon, a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference, was 17-22-1 in 2016. Rhodes, a member of the Southern Athletic Association, was 25-20 in 2016.
The Gorloks will play single games vs. Kenyon and Rhodes on February 26 at Rhodes.
