The Webster University softball team won its final two games of its St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule, winning 7-3 & 11-8 at MacMurray College, on April 22 in Jacksonville, IL.  The Gorloks improved to 13-5 in the SLIAC and have moved into third place with the victories.  Chesea Thornley won both games in relief for the Gorloks.

Webster grabbed a quick lead in the opener when Kate Sullens (SR, Highland, IL/Highland) walked to start the game.  With one out, Abby Burroughs (FR, Edwardsville, IL/Triad) singled and a Kayla Day (SR, Caruthers, CA/Caruthers) sacrifice fly scored Sullens.

The Highlanders answered with two runs in the bottom half of the first.  Webster starter Morgan Mansur (JR, Decatur, IL/Mt. Zion) retired the first two batters but then gave up a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases.  Another single scored two and MacMurray led, 2-1. 

The Gorloks tied it up in the fifth when Tessa Johanning (JR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) singled with one out and Sullens walked with two down.  Katelyn Johnson (SR, Cambridge, IL/Woodstock) had an infield single, with Johanning scoring on an error by the Highlander first baseman, making it a 2-2 game.

MacMurray put three hits together in the bottom of the fifth for a run, and regained the lead, 3-2.  Thornley (JR, Clinton, MO/Clinton) relieve Mansur with two down and got the third out on a strikeout.  Webster had runners at first and third with two down in the sixth, but couldn't get the tying run home.

Thornley got out of a jam with runners at second and third in the bottom of the sixth, to keep it a one run game.

In the Gorlok seventh, Webster erupted for five runs.  Terri Dearth (JR, Lemont, IL/Mt. Assisi Academy) walked and Sullens singled with Dearth taking third.  Sullens stole second base.  With one out, Burroughs doubled home Dearth and Sullens to put the Gorloks on top, 4-3.  Burroughs took third on a ground out and after Emily Kolisch (SR, St. Louis, MO/Incarnate Word Academy) walked, scored on a passed ball, giving Webster a 5-3 lead.

Kolisch, who had taken second on the passed ball, scored on a Sidney Coleman (SR, Fredericksburg, VA/Fountain-Ft. Carson) single to make it 6-3.  Katlyn Garza (JR, O'Fallon, MO/Ft. Zumwalt North) walked and Johanning was hit by a pitch.  Dearth walked in Coleman for one more insurance run and a 7-3 lead.

Mansur went 4 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits, three walks, three runs, and struck out five.  Thornley went 2 1/3 innings, giving up two hits and striking out two, allowing no runs.  She picks up the win and improved to 8-4 on the season.

Burroughs was 2-4 with two RBIs, double, and a run scored.  Coleman was 1-3 with an RBI, run scored, and two stolen bases, and Sullens was 1-3 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.

Webster pulled to a 5-0 lead in game two as it scored single runs in the first and second, and three in the third.  In the third Burroughs doubled and Day reached on an error with one down.  With two down Coleman singled to score Burroughs and Johanning followed with a single.  Karissa Cardenas (SR, Henderson, CO/Henderson singled and Austin Peterson (FR, Lake Ozark, MO/School of the Osage), pinch-running for Day, and Coleman both scored, making it 5-0.

MacMurray scored three runs off Webster starter Alexis Spriggs (SR, Scott City, MO/Scott City) in the third and had scored four in the fourth when Thornley was summoned from the bullpen.  Thornley got a sac fly out, as the Highlanders scored their fifth run of the inning, then got a ground out to avoid any further damage as MacMurray led, 8-5.

The Gorloks scored a single run in the fifth and three in the sixth, capped by a Day triple and Dearth single to take a 9-8 lead.  Webster scored two insurance runs in the seventh to extend the lead to 11-8.  Meanwhile, Thornley shut down the Highlanders the rest of the way and picked up her ninth win of the year.

Thornley went 3 2/3 innings, giving up two hits and no runs.  She is 9-4 on the year.  Burroughs was 2-4 with two RBIs, a double, and two runs scored.  Coleman was 2-4 with two RBIs, a double and two runs scored.

Webster, coming off a big sweep of SLIAC foe, Fontbonne University, winds up 13-5 in the SLIAC and are 25-12 overall.  Webster is now in third place in the SLIAC.  The 25 wins are the most for Webster since 2011

The Gorloks travel to Terre Haute, IN, on April 27 to play a double header vs. Rose-Hulman Institute to close out their regular season schedule.  The SLIAC conference tournament will be on May 4-6 at ABC Park in St. Ann, MO.