WEBSTER GROVES - Webster University junior outfielder Abby Burroughs (Edwardsville, Ill./Triad) broke out of her season long hitting slump in a big way here Sunday afternoon as the two-time All-St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference performer went 4-for-5 at the plate with four runs, scored, six RBI and two home runs to help propel to Gorloks to a doubleheader sweep over Knox College on Senior Day at Blackburn Park.
 
Burroughs entered Sunday's doubleheader having recorded just three hits in her first 29 at-bats this season and was hitting .103 on the  year, but she surpassed her season total of hits with her 2-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning of Sunday's nightcap. With her 4-for-5 effort at the plate on Sunday, Burroughs raised her season batting average to .206 on the year.
 
In Sunday's opener, Webster scored eight runs in the fourth, including a 2-run homer by Burroughs over the fence in left to post a 9-0 win in five innings and then used a season high 16 hits in the nightcap to post a 9-7 victory to record its first series sweep of the season and improve its record to 3-13 on the season. 
 
Prior to Sunday's doubleheader, the Gorloks honored its three member senior class in an on-field, pregame ceremony. This year's seniors are catcher Casey Cullinane (Simi Valley, Calif./College of the Redwoods), third baseman Brienna Sheperd (Central Point, Ore./College of the Redwoods) and second baseman Chelsea Snyder (Mount Vernon, Mo./Fort Scott CC). 
 
In addition to Burroughs' 4-for-5 effort at the plate in the doubleheader, sophomore designated player Amanda Kraus (Valley Park, Mo./Valley Park) and junior first baseman Avery Boccella (Gilbert, Ariz./Trinidad State) each had four hits, while Snyder, Sheperd and freshman leftfielder Taylor Jackson (Calgary, Alberta/Bishop Grandin) each recorded three hits in the two games. 
 
Webster opened the scoring in Sunday's first game in the bottom of the second thanks to a single by Kraus, a Knox error and an RBI single by Snyder. Snyder's RBI single brought home Kraus with the game's first run. 
 
That one run would be more than enough for the Gorloks as the pitchers they used in the game – freshman Arianna Arias (Pomona, Calif./Bishop Amat) and junior Kailtyn Johnson (East Alton, Ill./Greenville University) would limit the Prairie Fire (3-12 on the season) to two hits and no runs, while combining to record a strikeout and not issue a walk. 
 
Johnson (1-4) earned the win in the opener as she pitched the final three innings and allowed one hit and struck out one. Arias started the game and pitched the first two innings and allowed two hits and struck out one. 
 
The Gorloks would finally find the scoreboard again in the fourth inning as they sent 12 hitters to the plate and recorded nine hits and used an error to score eight runs and take a 9-0 lead. In the inning, Burroughs, Kraus and freshman rightfielder Haley Johnson (East Alton, Ill./Alton Marquette) each reached on singles, the latter single brought home Burroughs with the first run. The second run came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Snyder. Boccella then followed with an RBI double and the Gorloks would load the bases on back-to-back singles by junior catcher Darian Morlan (Duchesne, Utah/Trindad State) and Jackson. Boccella would then score when freshman shortstop Sheyla Iniguez (Riverside, Calif./Bloomington) reached on an error that allowed two runs to score. Sheperd then followed with an RBI single and after Iniguez was put out trying to score from second on Sheperd's single, Burroughs stepped to the plate and drilled a 2-run homer over the fence in left to complete the scoring. 
 
Kaitlyn Johnson would retire the side in order in the top of the fifth to seal WU's win by the 8-run mercy rule. It was Webster's first shutout of the season. 
 
In the game, Webster had 12 hits as Kraus went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while Burroughs went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and 2 RBI and Jackson also had two hits in the win. In fact, every Gorlok starter by Iniguez had at least one hit in the game. 
 
Gabbi Diaz (3-10) took the loss in the circle for Knox as she allowed 12 hits and nine runs (seven earned), while walking and striking out none.
 
Meanwhile, in the nightcap, Knox opened the game by scoring three runs in the top of the first inning off of junior pitcher Breelyn Craig (Victorville, Calif./Trindad State). The big hit in the inning for the Prairie Fire was a 2-run triple by Katy Coseglia, who had two hits and five RBI in the nightcap for Knox.
 
Knox's lead grew to 6-0 in the top of the second thanks to a 3-run homer over the fence in left by Coseglia. Coseglia's homer chased Craig from the game, who pitched 1.2 innings and allowed four hits and six runs (five earned), while walking one and striking out two. 
 
Webster would begin its comeback in the bottom of the second as they used two hits to score three runs and pull within 6-3. The big hit in the inning was a 2-run double to left center by Boccella and the third run came home on a wild pitch by Diaz that pitched every inning for Knox in Sunday's doubleheader.
 
The Prairie Fire added another run in the top of the third inning on a double by Kylie Wolf and an RBI single by Niamh Pemberton off of Arias, who relieved Craig following Coseglia's 3-run homer in the second. 
 
Webster pulled within 7-5 in the bottom of the third as they used four hits, including a 2-run homer by Burroughs. The homer by Burroughs now gives her the team lead with two this season. 
 
The Gorloks added three more runs in the fourth to take an 8-7 lead. In the inning, Boccella led off with a double, stole third and scored on a run scoring single by Iniguez with two outs. Sheperd then followed with a single and then Burroughs, who is two hits shy of 100 in her collegiate career, drilled a Diaz pitch into center for a 2-run double. It marked the third time in Burroughs' career that she has recorded 4 RBI in a game. 
 
Webster would conclude the scoring in the bottom of the fifth as they recorded four hits, including an RBI single by Jackson through the left side that plated Boccella, who had single to left with two outs in the inning. 
 
In the sixth, the Gorloks put runners on first and second thanks to back-to-back two out singles by freshman rightfielder Gabrielle Novak (St. Louis, Mo./Notre Dame) and Snyder, before Diaz would force Boccella to fly out to center to end the inning.
 
Arias would get into some trouble in the seventh as a hit and an error put runners on first and third, but she would prevent any runs from scoring as she forced Clare Hensley to pop up for the second out and got Pemberton to ground out to first to end the game.
 
Arias (1-3) picked up the win in relief as she tossed 5.1 innings and allowed five hits and one run, while walking one and striking out three. 
 
Webster had 16 hits in the game, including a 3-for-4 day at the plate by Boccella, while Iniguez, Sheperd, Burroughs, Novak and Snyder each had two hits in the win. 
 
Knox finished with nine hits, including two apiece from Coseglia and Kenzie Funk. 
 
Diaz (3-11) pitched all six innings in the game and allowed 16 hits and nine runs, all of which were earned and walked two, while fanning none.
 
The Gorloks will return to action this coming Wednesday, March 27 as they host Blackburn College for a SLIAC doubleheader at Blackburn Park. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., with the second game to follow 30 minutes after the completion of the first game.