The Webster University baseball team lost its first round game in the NCAA III Central Regional, 3-0, to Wartburg College (IA) on May 18 at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, IL.  The host Gorloks were matching zeroes with the Knights until Wartburg came up with three runs in the bottom of the eighth for the win. 

Despite having 10 runners reach base, four via hit by pitch and six by walk, the Gorloks were unable to bring home a run while being no-hit by the Knights.

In uncustomary fashion, Webster starter Josh Fleming (JR, Columbia, IL/Columbia) loaded the bases in the first, giving up two singles and a walk.  Fleming got of the jam by getting a fly out the first single, a strikeout looking after the second single, and another strikeout looking after the walk to end the threat.

From there on out it was a pitching duel as the Knights starter Max Langheinrich threw 6 2/3 innings of hitless ball, but was relieved after hitting back to back hitters in the head to load the bases for Webster.  Wartburg got out of the jam as its center field ran down a ball that looked headed down in the left center field gap.

Wartburg finally broke the scoring draught in the bottom of the eighth.  Fleming gave up a lead off single, then struck out a batter looking.  But the next batter laid down a perfect bunt and was safe at first with a hit.  A seeing eye grounder between first and second by the next batter made it 1-0.  Another sacrifice bunt scored the runner from third as the runner was safe at first.  Another Gorlok error at second loaded the bases up for the Knights.  A ground out to second made it a 3-0 Wartburg lead before a grounder to short ended the inning.

Two of the three runs scored off Fleming were earned, just the sixth and seventh earned runs allowed by Fleming in 2017.  Fleming, the SLIAC 2017 Pitcher of the Yea, was the current NCAA III leader in earned run average entering the contest.  He took his first loss of the season as he falls to 8-1.  Fleming went eight innings, gave up eight hits and struck out seven.

Webster, now 29-14, received an at-large bid to the Central Regional.  Wartburg, winners of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, are 32-12 on the season  Wartburg in located in Waverly, IA.

The Gorloks will now face Birmingham-Southern College and will have to win to face elimination, on May 19 at 3:30 p.m. back at GCS Ballpark.