The Webster University baseball team continued its round robin weekend with a sweep, beating Benedictine University (IL) 1-0, and North Park University, 5-4. The Gorloks had their second straight shutout of the weekend, in the win vs. Benedictine, and relied on a ninth-inning rally-keyed by a walk-off single by Kyle Uhrich vs North Park.
Game one vs. Benedictine was a pitching duel as neither team could mount any offense. The teams had just three hits combined and no runs after six innings. In his second start of the season, Josh Fleming (JR, Columbia, IL/Columbia) was in fine form, throwing six scoreless innings with one hit, three walks, and seven strikeouts.
Fleming gave way to Brandon Smith (SR, Imperial, MO/Seckman) in the seventh. Smith gave up a walk and a double, but got out of that jam. In the eighth, after an infield single, with the runner advancing to second on a passed ball and then stealing third, Kyle Uhrich (SR, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves) took the mound. He came on to coax a two-out pop up to end the threat.
Webster scored its lone run with two out in the bottom of the eighth. Conner Wardlaw (JR, Arnold, MO/Jefferson College) walked. After a pitching change by the Eagles, Ben Dinter (JR, Gurnee, IL/College on Lake County) had a pinch-hit double. When Wardlaw took a wide turn at third, an errant throw by the Benedictine second baseman sent him home with the go-ahead run.
Uhrich set the Eagles down in the ninth, with two strikeouts and a soft liner, and picked up the win. Fleming, Smith, and Uhrich combined for the shutout. Both teams had a total of six hits in the contest. Adam Naliwajko (JR, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator) was 2-3 Wardlaw had the game's lone run.
In the nightcap, in Webster's ninth vs. North Park, Milosch was hit by a pitch, but thrown out stealing. Naliwajko doubled and Nate Tholl (SO, Tinley Ridge, IL/John A Logan) pinch ran. Tholl stole third and scored on a a squeeze sacrifice by Eric Outlaw (FR, Park Ridge, IL/Maine West) to tie the game at 4-4. Wardlaw singled and Mike Wick (JR, Bartlett, IL/Bartlett) walked. Uhrich followed with a deep ball in the gap scoring Wardlaw and making Webster a 5-4 winner.
Matt Mulhearn (FR, Chicago Heights, IL/Marian Catholic) made his first collegiate start on the mound. After three scoreless innings, the Vikings scored the first runs of the weekend off the Gorloks. A walk, stolen base, and single scored one. After another walk, a North Park triple brought home two, and after anothre run, Webster found itself in a 4-0 hole.
Webster broke through on the scoreboard in its half of the fourth. Zach Bishop (JR, Marshall, MO/Marshall) doubled to lead off and Matt Wollnik (SR, Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley) singled him home. Wick doubled to lead off the sixth and stole third. After a walk to Bishop, Dakota DeFreitas (JR, Brechin, Ontario/John Wood CC) reached on a fielder's choice as Wick scored to make it 4-2.
In the seventh, Jake Milosch (SO, St. Charles, IL/St. Charles East) singled to center and Joe Swanson (FR, Park Ridge, IL/Maine West) bunted for a single. A passed ball moved the runners up and Milosch scored on a ground out to first by Eric Outlaw , but that would be the only tally as North Park still led, 4-3.
After getting the first out of the eighth, Mulhearn took a seat as Smith relieved. Mulhearn went 7 1/3 innings, gave up fr hits and three earned runs, walked two and struck out four. Smith struck out the final two batters of the inning after giving up a hit. Smith also pitched a scoreless ninth, going 1 2/3 innings, giving up a walk and a hit, while striking out four. Smith would pick up the win after the Gorloks rally in the bottom of the ninth.
Bishop was 2-3 with a double, stolen base, walk, and run scored. Outlaw was 0-3 with two RBIs. Wick was 1-4 with a double, walk, and run scored.
Webster is now 5-1 on the season. North Park falls to 2-7 and Benedictine is 0-2. The Gorloks will conclude the round robin weekend on March 6 with a single game vs. Benedictine at GCS. Webster will head to Florida on March 11 where they will play seven different opponents over an eight-day stretch.
