SAINT LEO, Fla. – Webster Baseball opened up its seven-game spring break trip to Florida here Saturday afternoon by using strong pitcher from sophomore Matt Mulhearn (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) and a career best four hit game from junior rightfielder Nate Tholl (Tinley Park, Ill./John A. Logan CC) to post an 8-3 win over Rhodes College at Southard Stadium on the campus of Saint Leo University.
 
With the victory, the Gorloks extend its win streak to three straight and improves to 4-2 on the year, while Rhodes falls to 11-9 on the season.
 
In addition to the four hits by Tholl, Webster, whose offense recorded 12 hits in the win, also got two hit performances from senior centerfielder Conner Wardlaw (Arnold, Mo./Jefferson College), sophomore first baseman Kyler Kent (Pottsboro, Texas) and freshman third baseman Ben Swords (Freeport, Ill./Freeport).
 
Webster opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning as Swords and junior second baseman Danny Strohm (St. Louis, Mo./Greenville University) each reached on singles to lead off the inning and Swords would score on an RBI single by sophomore catcher Joe Swanson (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine West). Both Strohm and Swanson would then move up a base thanks to steals and then Strohm would score on an RBI single by Wardlaw and Swanson would score the third run as he stole home.
 
The Gorloks lead grew to 4-0 in the fourth inning on an RBI double to center by Tholl, which plated Wardlaw, who had reached on a one-out single and then stole second base.
 
Rhodes would finally find the scoreboard in the fifth inning as they took advantage of an Gorlok error by Kent to plate an unearned run and cut Webster's lead to 4-1.
 
The Gorloks, though, would get that run back in the bottom of the fifth as Webster used two walks, a stolen base, a wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt by Strohm to push its lead to 5-1.
 
Rhodes would score its second run in the seventh on a solo homer over the wall in left by Nick Bosma to cut Webster's lead to 5-2.
 
The homer by Bosma chased Mulhearn from the game as he pitched 6.1 innings and scattered three hits and allowed two runs (one earned run), while walking three and fanning four to record his second win and improve to 2-1 on the season.
 
Rhodes would cut Webster's lead 5-3 in the eighth inning as they recorded four hits, all of which were singles off of Gorlok sophomore reliever Shane Donovan (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett). The run was driven home on an RBI single by Jacob Telli.

The Gorloks, though, would put the game out of reach in the bottom of the eighth inning as they scored three runs to take an 8-3 lead. In the inning, Wardlaw walked and stole second with one run and would score on an RBI double by Tholl and Tholl would score when Kent followed with another RBI double. The third run in the inning came off a bunt by senior leftfielder Mike Wick (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett).
 
Donovan would then pitch a scoreless ninth to seal the victory.
 
Donovan finished the game pitching the final 2.2 innings and allowed six hits and one run, while striking out one and walking none.
 
The Lynx finished the game with nine hits as Paul Giacomazzi and Telli each had two hits in the loss.
 
For the game, both teams stranded a combined 17 runners as Webster left 10 runners on base, while Rhodes stranded seven.
 
John Medich (0-2) took the loss on the mound for Rhodes as he started the game and threw three innings and allowed five hits and three runs, while walking one and fanning four.
 
Webster will look to win its fourth straight game as they face Ripon College in a 4:30 p.m. EDT game on Sunday, March 11 at the Lake Myrtle Park (Field 3) in Auburndale, Fla.