GREENVILLE, Ill. - Webster University began its quest for a its ninth St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship here Thursday evening by posting a 14-7 win over Greenville in the opening round of the 2018 SLIAC Tournament held at Robert E. Smith Filed and hosted by Greenville University.

Thursday's victory extended seventh-ranked Webster's win streak to 20 consecutive games and improved its record to 34-7 on the season and advanced the Gorloks into a winner's bracket match-up Friday, May 11 at 2 p.m. against No. 2 seed Spalding (31-10). The Golden Eagles earned a spot in Friday's winner's bracket game with a 7-3 win Thursday over Westminster (Mo.) College.

Webster's 20 game winning streak is the currently the longest active win streak among all NCAA playing baseball programs. 

In Thursday's win over Greenville, Webster's high powered offense recorded 16 hits and scored two or more runs in four of the first six innings to post its third win this season over the Panthers and extend its win streak in SLIAC first round tournament games to 15 straight games and is now 15-7 all-time in SLIAC Tournament first round games. 

Holding an 8-7 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Webster sent 11 hitters to the plate and recorded five hits and scored six runs to push its lead to 14-7. In the inning, sophomore rightfielder Adam Lovell (Lafayette, Ind./Saint Joseph's) opened by drawing a walk, moved to second on a single by senior designated hitter Ben Dinter (Gurnee, Ill./College of Lake County) and advanced to third on a fly out to right by sophomore first baseman Kyler Kent (Pottsboro, Texas/Pottsboro). Lovell would score the first run of the inning on a fielder's choice grounder by freshman third baseman Ben Swords (Freeport, Ill./Freeport), who would eventually reach third on a stolen base and throwing error by Greenville catcher Travis Ralls. Sophomore catcher Joe Swanson (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine West) walked to put runners on first and third and then senior centerfielder Conner Wardlaw (Arnold, Mo./Jefferson College) followed with a 2-run single to center off of Panther reliever Austin Rexrod to give the Gorloks an 11-7 lead. Following Wardlaw's single, junior second baseman Danny Strohm (St. Louis, Mo./Greenville University) would then draw a walk from Rexroad and with two runners on base, freshman shortstop Matt Staker (El Cajon, Calif./Saint Augustine) would drill a 3-2 pitch from Rexroad over the fence in left field for his first collegiate home run. Staker's homer chase Rexroad from the game and with two outs, senior leftfielder Mike Wick (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) would reach on a single to right off of Cole Becker and then Lovell followed with another single to put runners on first and third and after Lovell stole second, Dinter would end the inning on a ground out. 

The six run sixth gave the Gorloks enough cushion as freshman Sean Beaver (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch), who replaced sophomore starter Matt Mulhearn (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) in the sixth and junior Adrian Santiago (Chicago, Ill./Oakton College) would allowed just two base runners over the final three innings to preserve Mulhearn's ninth win of the year.

Mulhearn (9-2), who was named a Second-Team All-SLIAC selection on Thursday afternoon, pitched into the sixth inning and allowed 10 hits and a career-high six runs, while tying a career-high with three walks and striking out four in his 90 pitch outing. Mulhearn has now won his last six starts since earning a no-decision against Westminster on March 30. 

Greenville, who fell to 20-19 on the season with the loss on Thursday, opened the scoring in the top of the first inning thanks a one-out triple by Ralls and an RBI single by Klaiton Wolff to take a 1-0 lead.

The Gorloks, though, would use four hits to score four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead. In the inning, Kent, Swanson, Wardlaw and Strohm each had RBI singles as Webster sent nine hitters to plate against Panther starting hurler Bryce Pearce. 

Webster, who has won 12 consecutive SLIAC regular season championships, pushed its lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the second thanks to back-to-back singles by Wick and Lovell to open the frame and then using a 2-run single up the middle off the bat of Kent to plate both Wick and Lovell with runs.

Greenville, who is the defending SLIAC Tournament champion, wouldn't go away, though, as they plated three runs in the fourth thanks to a 3-run homer by Jesse Getz off of Mulhearn. 

The Panthers pulled within 6-5 in the top of the fifth thanks to a single, a fielder's choice, a stolen base and an RBI single up the middle by Chandler Dix. 

Webster would respond in the bottom of the fifth to push its lead out to 8-5. In the inning, Swanson reached on an error by Getz at shortstop, moved to second on a single by Wardlaw and would score an unearned run on a double down the left field line by Staker. Staker's double moved Wardlaw to third and chased Pearce from the game. Logan Murphy replaced Pearce on the mound and Wick greeted him with a sacrifice fly to left that plated Wardlaw with the inning's second run.

In the sixth, Greenville would use three hits, including a 2-run homer by Ralls that hit off the bottom of the scoreboard in left center to drop Webster's lead to 8-7. Ralls homer came off of Beaver, who replaced Mulhearn after he allowed a lead-off single to Getz to open the sixth.

Pearce (5-3) took the loss for the Panthers as he pitched 4.1 innings and allowed 10 hits and eight hits (five earned runs), while walking four and striking out four. 

Wick, Wardlaw and Staker each had three hits in the game, while Lovell and Kent each had two hits. For the game. Lovell was on base five times as along with two hits, he also drew three walks and scored three runs. In addition to Lovell, Wardlaw and Staker each were on base three times and combined to score three runs.

Greenville, who will look to remain alive in the double-elimination tournament as they face Westminster in an elimination game at 5 p.m. on Friday, finished with 13 hits, including three hits apiece from Getz and Dix, while Ralls and Wolff each had two hits in the loss. 

For the game, the teams combined to leave a total of 17 runners on base as Webster stranded nine and Greenville left eight runners on base. In addition, the Panthers committed four errors in the game and walked eight Gorlok hitters.

Webster also finished the game with five stolen bases, including Swords stealing his team-high 18th base, while Lovell picked up his 17th steal of the season.