The Webster University baseball team ran into two stellar starting pitching performances and lost a double header at Spalding University, 1-0 and 6-1, on April 15 in Louisville, KY. A battle of two pitching aces went as advertised in a loss in game one, and the Gorloks couldn't muster any offense in game two either as they took their first losses in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference of the season.
The
opener was a pitching duel extreme. The Gorloks and Golden Eagles had gone through eight innings of scoreless ball, with Webster starter Josh Fleming (JR, Columbia, IL/Columbia) scattering seven hits and striking out 12. Spalding starter Jimi Keating had handcuffed Webster for three hits and a walk while striking out 12.
In the ninth, after Keating struck out #13, Matt Wollnik (SR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley) doubled, but was stranded. Johnny Lord (SR, Napeville, IL/Nequa Valley) took over for Fleming and gave up a lead off single in the ninth. Lord caught a sacrifice bunt fly, but an errant throw to double up the runner at first allowed him to advance all the way to third.
After an intentional walk, the Gorloks picked off the runner at third for the second out and it looked like Webster may extend it to a 10th inning. The next batter walked, and a passed ball advanced the runner at second to third. A single through the left side sent the game winning run home as Spalding took the 1-0 final.
Fleming finished with eight innings pitched, giving up seven hits and no walks, while striking out 12. Fleming's earned run average fell to 0.49 and he has 73 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings. Lord wound up taking the loss, going 2/3 of an inning, giving up two hits and two walks. He is 2-1 on the season.
Kyle Uhrich (SR, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves) started
game two for the Gorloks. Uhrich was touched for a run in the first after a walk and a double by the Golden Eagles staked them to a 1-0 lead. The scored remained 1-0 till the bottom of the sixth.
Uhrich, walked the lead off batter, gave up a single and, after a strikeout, loaded the bases with walk. When Uhrich walked the next batter, forcing in a run, Lord relieved. Lord gave up a single to left, with two runs scoring. A single scored the Golden Eagles fourth run of the inning, and a sacrifice fly in foul territory scored a fifth, making it a 6-0 Spalding lead. Austin Beccue (JR, Red Bud, IL/Gibault Catholic) took over for Lord, retiring the final batter of the inning.
Webster made a bid to break through in the seventh. Adam Naliwajko (SR, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator), Mike Wick (JR, Bartlett, IL/Bartlett), and Conner Wardlaw (JR, Arnold, MO/Jefferson College) all walked to load the bases with no one down. With two down, Wollnik singled, scoring Naliwajko. But that is all the Gorloks would get as they fell, 6-1. Game two became a seven-inning affair by rule after game one went longer than seven innings.
Uhrich wound up throwing 5 1/3 innings, giving up five hits, five walks, five funs, and struck out nine. He took his first loss of the season and is 4-1.
Wollnik was 1-4 with an RBI and Ben Dinter (JR, Gurnee, IL/College of Lake County) was 1-2 with a double.
Webster is 7-2 in the SLIAC and 17-9 overall. Spalding is now 11-2 in the SLIAC and 21-9 overall. The Gorloks travel to Elsah, IL, for a double header at Principia College on April 18.
