The #26 ranked Webster University baseball team finished a weekend series with a 6-5 loss to Fontbonne University, on May 7 at Shaw Park in Clayton, MO. The Gorloks, winners of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference West Division, have secured the #1 seed in the SLIAC Tournament with the best overall record at 18-4.
Webster took a 1-0 lead with two outs in the first inning when Kyle Uhrich (SR, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves) doubled and Matt Wollnik (SR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley) singled him home. The Gorloks scored two more in the third, again with two outs. Conner Wardlaw (JR, Arnold, MO/DeSmet Jesuit) singled and stole second. Mike Wick (JR, Bartlett, IL/Bartlett) drove him in with a single and Uhrich doubled Wick in for a 3-0 lead.
Webster starter Johnny Lord (SR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley) was touched for a run in the third when the Griffins had a two-out rally of their own on a single and double to make it 3-1.
The Gorloks added another run in the fourth when Dakota DeFreitas (SO, Brechin, Ontario/Uxbridge Secondary) singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Adam Naliwajko (SR, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator). Eric Outlaw (FR, Park Ridge, IL/Maine West) was hit by a pitch and Wardlaw singled to load the bases but the Gorloks would do no further damage.
Fontbonne got that run back in the bottom on the inning with a lead off double. After striking out the next two, Lord gave up a single scored a run to make it a 4-2 lead. After giving up a one-out double in the fifth, Lord was relieved by Brandon Smith (SR, Imperial, MO/Seckman), who retired the next two batters on pop ups.
Webster added a run in the seventh when Wardlaw led off with a single, swiped second base and, after a Webster strikeout, swiped third as well. Uhrich was intentionally walked but Wollnik singled Wardlaw home with Webster's fifth run. The Griffins had a lead off single and home run in the eighth off Smith to cult the lead to 5-4. Fontbonne tied it up on a single, hit by pitch, and two-out Gorlok errror to make it a 5-5 contest
After a scoreless ninth by the Gorloks, Smith gave up a lead off single in the Griffin half and was relieved by Matt Goro (SR, Wildwood, MO/Lafalyette). It was Goro's first appearance in a game since an early season injury. A Goro error on a pickoff attempt moved the runner to third and the next two batters walked to load the bases. A sac fly sent the game winner home and Fontbonne was a 6-5 winner.
Lord went 4 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits, a walk, and two runs. He struck out five. Smith took his first loss of the season, falling to 5-1. He went 3 2/3 innings, giving up four hits, a walk, three earned runs, and striking out four.
Uhrich was 3-4 with two doubles, a walk, and an RBI. Wollnik was 2-4 with two RBIs and a walk, and Wardlaw was 2-4 with two runs scored and a walk.
Webster, ranked 26th in the NCAA III, finished 18-4 in the SLIAC and 28-11 overall on the season.
The SLIAC Tournament, hosted by Greenville College (IL) will start on May 11. The Gorloks will face Spalding University, who finished second in the East Division, at 4:00 p.m. A tournament preview and schedule will be posted later this week.
