The Webster University softball team's run for a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship came to an end with a 7-1 loss to Greenville College, on May 7 at ABC Park in St. Ann, MO. The Gorloks outstanding season ends after they had battled their way back to the championship round after a loss in the tournament opener.
Webster finished 28-15 on the season, its most wins since 2005, and was 13-5 in the SLIAC for the regular season as it finished in third place. The Gorloks had advanced to the SLIAC Tournament for the first time since 2012.
Greenville took a 2-0 lead off Webster in the first inning. Webster starter Alexis Spriggs (SR, Scott City, MO/Scott City) walked the first two batters and a sac bunt moved them over to second and third. A single brought home one run and a second scored on an error on a failed pick off attempt by the Gorloks.
Webster got one of those runs back in the third when Tessa Johanning (JR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) led off with a single. Taylor White (FR, St. Charles, MO/Lutheran St. Charles) laid down a sac bunt to move White over to second. With two down, Abby Burroughs (FR, Edwardsville, IL/Triad) doubled Johanning in to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Panthers broke open the game with a five-run fourth. With one out, Greenville had back to back singles, but after a ground out it looked like Spriggs might escape the jam. But the Panthers added two more singles for two runs and Chelsea Thornley (JR, Clinton, MO/Clinton) was summoned from the bullpen. Thornley was greeted with a two-run single, and a third run would score on a wild pitch to make it 7-1.
The Gorloks couldn't muster any offense over the final three innings and 7-1 was the final. Spriggs took the loss and wound up 9-7 on the season. Thornley wound up pitching 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Spriggs, who got the win in both of the Gorloks' tournament victories, was named to the 2017 All-Tournament Team, along with Burroughs and Emily Kolisch (SR, St. Louis, MO/Incarnate Word Academy).
Webster was held to four hits in the contest. Burroughs was 1-3 with a double and RBI and Johanning was 1-3 with the lone run scored.
The Gorloks say goodbye to seven seniors who played in their final game for Webster. Karissa Cardenas (Henderson, CO/Henderson), Sidney Coleman (Fredericksburg, VA/Fountain-Ft. Carson), Kayla Day (Caruthers, CA/Caruthers), Katelyn Johnson (Cambridge, IL/Woodstock), Kolisch, Spriggs, and Kate Sullens (Highland, IL/Highland).
