ST. ANN, Mo. - Webster University opened up play here Thursday in the first round of the 2018 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference by scoring nine runs and falling just short of an upset of top-seeded Westminster (Mo.) College at ABC Park as the two teams combined for 20 runs and 26 hits as the Blue Jays posted an 11-9 victory over the Gorloks.

The 20 combined runs were the most combined runs scored by two teams in a SLIAC Tournament game since Webster and Blackburn combined to score 18 runs in a first round game in 2007. Webster won that game, 10-8. The most combined runs scored in a SLIAC Tournament game is 26, which came in a first round game in 1991 between Maryville and Principia as Maryville defeated Principia, 14-12. 

In addition, the nine runs scored by Webster are the most runs they have scored in a SLIAC Tournament game since scoring 10 runs in their 10-8 first round victory over Blackburn in 2007. 

With the setback, Webster's record falls to 17-16 on the season and the Gorloks will now look to remain alive in the double elimination tournament with a 3 p.m. game on Friday, May 4 against No. seeded Fontbonne, who fell 3-0 to No. 2 seeded Greenville in Thursday's other first round game. Westminster, who claimed its second consecutive SLIAC regular season title, improves to 21-16 on the season and will face Greenville in a winner's bracket game on Friday at 1 p.m.

In Thursday's game, Webster scored runs in five of the seven innings, but Westminster failed to score a run in just one inning as their 11 runs were the most scored by the Blue Jays in a SLIAC Tournament game since scoring 18 runs in a first round tournament game in 1995 against MacMurray. 

The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as they plated three runs on four hits off of senior pitcher Morgan Mansur (Decatur, Ill./Lincoln Land CC). In the inning, all three of Westminster's runs came with two outs as Mansur retired the first two Blue Jay hitters, before allowing three singles, including a 2-run single by Mackenzie Myers, a walk and an RBI ground-rule double by Aubrie Vaughn. 

Webster, though, would get two of those runs back in the top of the second as senior first baseman Katlyn Garza (O'Fallon, Mo./Fort Zumwalt North) led off the inning with a home run and added its second run later in the inning of an error by Blue Jays pitcher Katie Price on a ball hit by senior leftfielder Chelsea Thornley (Clinton, Mo./Clinton).

Westminster would added four more runs in the second to take a 7-2 lead. In the inning, Callie Collier walked to lead off the inning, moved to second on a ground out and would score on a 2-run homer over the fence in left field by Brooke Laidley. The next Blue Jay hitter, Amber Tepen, followed with a double to right that chased Mansur from the game. Sophomore Kaitlyn Johnson (East Alton, Ill./Greenville University) replaced Mansur in the circle and she threw a wilf pitch that moved Tepen to third and after Price grounded out, Madison Washington hit a single through the left side to score Tepen for Westminster's third run of the inning. 

Mansur (10-7), who was named a Second-Team All-SLIAC selection this season, struggled in the circle against the Blue Jays as she pitched just 1.1 innings and allowed six hits and six runs, while walking two and failing to record a strikeout. The outing was Mansur's shortest of the season and it was also the first time Mansur failed to record a strikeout this season. 

The Blue Jays extended its lead to 8-2 in the third inning on a triple by Tepen.

Trailing 8-2, the Gorloks began it comeback as they scored three runs on two hits and a Westminster error to pull within 8-5. In the inning, Mansur reached on an error by Brooklyn Bledsoe, moved to third on a single by freshman rightfielder Amanda Kraus (Valley Park, Mo./Valley Park) and after Thornley drew a walk to load the bases, sophomore shortstop Taylor White (St. Charles, Mo./Lutheran St. Charles) drilled a double to left that plated both Mansur and Kraus. The next Gorlok hitter, senior catcher Terri Dearth (Lemont, Ill./Southwestern Illinois) struck out swinging, but she reached first on a passed ball by Vaughn and then senior second baseman Tessa Johanning (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan) hit a fielder's choice grounder that plated Thornley with an unearned run.

Westminster, though, would get two of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth thanks to two hits and a fielding error by Garza at first base to push out to a 10-5 advantage. 

The Gorloks would then score two runs in the fifth thanks to an RBI single by junior third baseman Brienna Sheperd (Central Point, Ore./College of the Redwoods) and added its second run of the inning on a throwing error by Price, who committed two of Westminster's four errors in the game, to push within 10-7. 

After Westminster failed to score in the bottom of the fifth, Webster would pull within two runs at 10-8 in the sixth inning on a double by sophomore centerfielder Abby Burroughs (Edwardsville, Ill./Triad) and the ensuing RBI single by Garza off of Price, who threw a no-hitter earlier this season against the Gorloks.

Westminster would plate its 11th run of the game in the bottom of the sixth on a walk, a double by Myers and a sacrifice bunt by pinch hitter Bailey Johnson.

Entering the seventh inning, Webster trailed 11-8, but opened the inning with Sheperd drawing a walk and then Kraus would then reach on an error by Bledsoe to put runners on first and second with no outs. Following a strikeout by Thornley, White dropped down a bunt up the third base line for a hit to load the bases. Dearth would then hit a fielder's choice back to the pitcher, but Sheperd would be thrown at the plate for the second out. Price would then throw a wild pitch that brought home Kraus with the ninth run of the game, but that would be as close as the Gorloks would get as Price forced Johanning to ground out to short to end the game. 

Garza led the way offensively for the Gorloks as she was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while White, Burroughs and Kraus added two hits in the loss. In addition, Mansur and Kraus scored two runs and White had two RBIs. 

Johnson tossed 4.2 innings in relief of Mansur and allowed eight hits and five runs (three earned), while walking one and striking out two.

Price (14-7) pitched a complete game and allowed 12 hits and nine runs (four earned), while walking two and striking out five in her 135 pitch effort. 

Myers had four of Westminster's 14 hits as she was 4-for-4 at the plate, while Tepen added three hits and two runs and Laidley, Washington and Vaughn each had two hits in the win.