SAINT LEO, Fla. - Two errors that led to four unearned runs proved costly here Thursday morning for the Webster University Baseball team as they fell 4-1 to ninth-ranked Concordia University-Chicago in RussMatt Central Florida Invitational action at Southard Stadium on the campus of Saint Leo University. 

With the setback, Webster snaps its four game winning streak and falls to 8-3 on the season and 4-2 on its eight game Spring Break tip to Central Florida, while CUC wins its sixth straight game and moves to 6-1 on the season. 

The two errors and four unearned runs spoiled what was another impressive pitching performance for Webster sophomore hurler Sean Beaver (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch). Beaver, who fell to 1-1 on the year with the loss on the mound, tossed eight innings and allowed six hits and four unearned runs, while walking one and fanning two in his 96 pitch outing. The performance lower Beaver's season ERA to 0.70. 

In four appearances and three starts this season, Beaver has thrown 25.2 inning and in those 25.2 innings, he has allowed 21 hits, six runs (2 earned runs), while striking out 25 and walking just four batters. In Thursday's game against, Beaver threw 71 of his 96 pitches for strikes. He has now pitched at least seven innings in all three of his starts this year. 

Thursday's game turned in the top of the inning as with two outs and the bases loaded, Beaver looked like he would get out the jam by inducing a fly ball to right off the bat of Connor Brandon, but Gorlok senior rightfielder Nate Tholl (Tinley Park, Ill./John A. Logan CC) dropped the ball for an error that allowed all three bases runners to score and give the Cougars a 4-1 lead. 

In the eighth, Beaver hit two batters and walked Bryan Vanduser intentionally to set up Brandon's fly ball to right that would have been the third out of the inning, before the dropped fly ball by Tholl.

Webster would put two runners on base in the bottom of the eighth thanks to walks issued by Noah Dressler to both junior centerfielder Aron Hopp (Lincoln, Ill./Lincoln College) and Tholl with one out, but Dressler would get out of the jam by striking out sophomore third baseman Ben Swords (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) and forcing junior All-American first baseman Kyler Kent (Pottsboro, Texas/Pottsboro) to ground out to end the threat with two runners on base. 

CUC had a chance to add some insurance runs in the top of the ninth as the Cougars loaded the bases thanks to two walks and an infield single by Jose Mercado, before junior reliever Shane Donovan (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett), the third pitcher of the inning for the Gorloks, induced Keegan Tyrell to ground into a 5-3 double play to end the threat.

Redshirt junior designated hitter A.J. Smith would lead off the ninth with a double down the right field line, but would remain at second as Dressler would retire the next three Gorloks in order, including two on strikeouts to seal his team's win. 

CUC, who has now won five of the last nine meetings between the two schools, got on the scoreboard first in the top of the third inning as Mateo Calle single to center to lead off the inning, moved to second on an error by Swords at third base and reached third on a passed ball with one out. Tyrell would score an unearned run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brayden Benavides.

The Gorloks, though, answered right back in the bottom of the third inning as the Gorloks loaded the bases thanks to a walk, a hit batsman and a bunt single by junior leftfielder Adam Lovell (Lafayette, Ind./Saint Joseph's (Ind.) College) and score the tying run when Tholl drew a bases loaded walk from CUC starting pitcher Adam Gregory. Gregory, who was making his first start in nearly a year after recovering from Tommy John surgery, would prevent further damage as he got Swords to pop up and Kent to ground out to end the inning with the bases loaded.

Once again, the Gorloks struggled with leaving runners on base as they stranded seven runners on base and has now left a total of 112 runners on base this season, including stranding 66 runners on base on its Florida trip. CUC also left seven runners on base on Thursday.

Dressler (2-0) earned the win as he pitched the final four innings in relief of Gregory as he allowed one hit and no runs, while walking two and striking out four. Gregory pitched five innings and allowed two hits and one run, while striking out five and walking two. 

In Thursday's game, Webster had three hits with those coming from Smith Lovell and Hopp, who reached on a two-out single to left center. 

CUC finished the game with seven hits, including two hits from Justin Rodriguez. 

Webster's defense turned two double plays in the game and has now turned 13 on the year. 

The Gorloks will continue play in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational with a 7:30 p.m. EDT game on Friday, March 15 against Benedictine (Ill.) University at the Lake Myrtle Complex Field #7 in Auburndale, Fla.