WEBSTER GROVES - Webster University concluded its six game homestand here Wednesday afternoon by splitting a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball doubleheader against Blackburn College at Blackburn Park.

The Gorloks opened Wednesday's doubleheader with a 1-0 win over the Beavers thanks to a seven inning shutout in the circle by freshman pitcher Arianna Arias (Pomona, Calif./Bishop Amat) and then fell 4-3 in the nightcap as the Beavers scored four runs in the fourth to post the come-from-behind win and prevent a second consecutive sweep by the Gorloks.

With the sweep, Webster is now 4-14 overall and 1-3 in the SLIAC, while Blackburn moves to 4-12 overall and 1-5 in the league. The win in the nightcap snapped an 11 game losing skid for the Beavers. 

For the day, Webster's offense collected 11 hits in the doubleheader, including seven hits in the nightcap. Sophomoe designated played Amanda Kraus (Valley Park, Mo./Valley) had three of those 11 hits, including two of WU's four hits in the opener. In addition to Kraus, senior third baseman Brienna Sheperd (Central Point, Ore./College of the Redwoods) and freshman shortstop Sheyla Iniguez (Riverside, Calif./Bloomington) each had two hits on the day.

Wednesday's opener was a pitching battle between Arias and Blackburn sophomore Tessa Beckham as the two pitchers combined to toss 13 innings and allowed a combined nine hits and one run, which was unearned and also record 13 strikeouts and walk just two in the game that lasted 73 minutes. 

Arias (2-3) earned the win as she tossed her second complete of the season as she allowed just five hits and no runs, while striking out three and walking one. The shutout was the first of the season for Webster and Arias.

Meanwhile, Beckham was just as strong in the circle as she scattered four hits, allowed an unearned run, while striking out 10 and walking one to drop her record to 0-5 on the season. 

The lone run in the opener came in the bottom of the fourth inning as Sheperd reached on a one-out single up the middle, before moving to second on a bunt by junior centerfielder Abby Burroughs (Edwardsville, Ill./Triad) and then scored when Kraus reached on an infield single that resulted in a throwing error by Beckham, which allowed Sheperd to score from second and moved Kraus to second. Beckham, though, would prevent further damage as she struck out freshman leftfielder Taylor Jackson (Calgary, Alberta/Bishop Grandin) looking to end the inning.

With a 1-0 lead, Webster turned the game over to Arias as she would retire seven of the final nine hitters she faced as she allowed a one-double in the sixth and a lead off single in the seventh, which would be erased on a line out double play to Iniguez as short. 

Blackburn had five hits in the opener, including two hits by Brooke Daniels. 

In additon to Kraus' two hits, Iniguez and Sheperd had the Gorloks other two hits in the game. 

Meanwhile, in the nightcap, Webster jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first thanks to four hits. In the inning, junior catcher Darian Morlan (Duchesne, Utah/Trinidad State) led off with a single, moved to second on a bunt by Jackson and advanced to third when Iniguez reached on an infield single to load the bases. With the bases loaded, Sheperd drilled a ball down the left field line that brought home both Morlan and Iniguez for the game's first two runs. On the play, Sheperd would be tagged out at second. Kraus would then reach on as single, before Bailey Hughes forced Burroughs to pop up to end the inning. 

Webster's lead grew to 3-0 in the bottom of the second as they used a hit and took advantage to two errors to score an unearned run. The error that allowed the run to score came on a fielding error by Blackburn first baseman Holly Jones on a ball hit by freshman first baseman Renee Ruelas (San Bernardino, Calif./Grand Terrace). On the error, senior second baseman Chelsea Snyder (Mount Vernon, Mo./Fort Scott CC), who reached on a lead off single, was able to score from second. 

The score remained in WU's favor until the fourth inning and that is when Blackburn had three hits and took advantage to a mental error by Ruelas on a bunt play and a dropped fly ball in center by Arias to plate four runs and take a 4-3 lead. The dropped fly ball by Arias scored the Beavers first run of the inning and then three runs would come home on a triple to right center off the bat of Haley Shull to give the Beavers its 4-3 lead. The triple came off of junior Kaitlyn Johnson (East Alton, Ill./Greenville University), who started the nightcap in the circle for the Gorloks.

Johnson (1-5) pitched 3.1 innings and allowed five hits and four runs (three earned), while walking one and fanning another. Junior Breelyn Craig (Victorville, Calif./Trinidad State) would pitch the final 3.2 innings and allow no hits and no runs, while walking one and striking out three. Craig leads the Gorloks in strikeouts on the season with 28.

Hughes would then get the Gorloks at bay the rest of the game as she allowed just three base runners over the final four innings to preserve her first win of the season. Hughes tossed all seven innings and allowed seven hits and three runs (two earned), while striking out four and walking none.

Perhaps the best chance for a run for the Gorloks came in the sixth as Kraus reached on a fielding error by Shull at short. Arias would then replace Kraus as a pinch runner and with Burroughs at the plate, Arias was thrown out trying to steal second and then Hughes would get out of the inning by striking out Burroughs.

Snyder had two of Webster's seven hits in the nightcap. 

Blackburn finished with five hits, including two each by Shull and Lexi Yockey. 

The Beavers left seven runners on base, while WU stranded four base runners. 

Webster will look to start a new win streak this coming Saturday, March 30 as they travel to Fulton, Mo., for a SLIAC doubleheader against preseason SLIAC favorite Westminster (Mo.) College. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., with the second game to follow about 30 minutes after completion of the first game.