FULTON, Mo. - Webster University opened up its three-game St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series here Sunday afternoon against Westminster (Mo.) College by splitting a doubleheader against the Blue Jays at Saucier Field on the Westminster campus.

In Sunday's opener, Westminster picked up a 3-1 win that was pitchers duel between Webster sophomore Sean Beaver (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch) and Westminster's Ian Cassidy, while the Gorloks rebounded to post a 14-2 win that was called after seven innings due to the 10-run mercy rule in the nightcap. 

The 14 runs in the nightcap were a season high for the Gorloks, who improved to 14-6 overall and 4-3 in the SLIAC, while Westminster, who were playing their first two home games of the season, fell to 5-6 overall and 1-1 in the league.

For the day, the 12th/14th-ranked Gorloks recorded 16 hits and scored 15 runs, including sophomore shortstop Matt Staker (El Cajon, Calif./Saint Augustine) going 4-for-4 at the plate with 3 RBI in the nightcap. It marked the second time in his last three games that Staker had recorded four hits in a game. 

In addition to Staker's four hits in the nightcap, junior All-American first baseman Kyler Kent (Pottsboro, Texas/Pottsboro) had three hits in the doubleheader, while senior second baseman Danny Strohm (St. Louis, Mo./Greenville University) and junior catcher Joe Swanson (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine West) each had two hits in the doubleheader. 

Webster jumped in front 1-0 in the top of the second of Sunday's opener thanks to back-to-back two out singles by Strohm and Swanson and then Strohm would score an unearned run on a passed ball by Blue Jays catcher Branden Beeler. 

The Blue Jays would get that run back in the bottom of the second on a two-out solo home run off the bat of Will Stonecipher to tie the game at 1-all.

Westminster would add two more runs in the fourth thanks to three hits and a Webster error to take a 3-1 lead. The first run came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryan Clavin, while the second run came home on an RBI single by Ryan Klimkiewicz. 

In the sixth, Webster put runners on second and third thanks to a single by senior rightfielder Nate Tholl (Tinley Park, Ill./John A. Logan CC) and a walk by sophomore third baseman Ben Swords (Freeport, Ill./Freeport), but Cassidy would get out of the jam by forcing Strohm to pop up to second to end the inning. 

Beaver (1-3) would be the hard luck loser in Sunday's opener as he tossed six innings and allowed five hits and three runs (two earned), while walking one and fanning one in his 75 pitch outing. 

Cassidy, though, was even better on the mound for the Blue Jays as he tossed all seven innings and allowed five hits and one unearned run, while walking one and striking out 11 to improve to 2-0 on the year. 

Stonecipher had two of Westminster's five hits, while along with five Gorloks recorded a hit in the loss.

Webster left five runners on bases, while the Blue Jays left two on base. 

Meanwhile, in the nightcap, Webster jumped in front 2-0 in the second inning thanks to two-run single by Staker off of Blue Jay starting hurler Alex Dickneite. 

The Gorloks lead grew to 6-0 in the top of the third as they used two hits and a Westminster error to plate four runs. In the inning, Tholl and Swords led off the inning by each getting hit by a pitch and after Kent reached on an infield single to load the bases, the Gorloks would score its first run of the inning when redshirt junior leftfielder A.J. Smith (DuQuoin, Ill./DuQouin) reached on an error by Blue Jay second baseman Michael Skinner. The next run came in one batter later when freshman designated hitter Brandon Dryer (Centennial, Colo./Arapahoe) drew a bases loaded walk that chased Dickneite from the game. The two other runs came home on a fielder's choice by Strohm and a ground out by Swanson.

Webster would extend its lead to 9-0 in the fifth inning thanks to three hits and two Westminster errors. The hits in the inning came from Smith, Strohm and Staker, the latter being an RBI single.

The Gorloks added five more runs in the sixth to push in front 14-0. In the inning, the big hit was a three-run pinch hit home run by sophomore Kellen Quigley (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook). The homer by Quigley was the first of his collegiate career. 

Westminster would plate two runs in the bottom of the seventh to complete the scoring, In the inning, Tyler Bise hit a one-out home run off of sophomore hurler Bobby Strandt (Frisco, Texas/Univ. of Arkansas) and its second run came on an RBI single by Devin Masek.

Junior Matt Mulhearn (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) improved to 4-1 on the mound as he pitched five scoreless innings and allowed just two hits, while walking one and striking out four.

Dickneite (0-2) took the loss for the Blue Jays as he pitched two-plus innings and allowed three hits and six runs (three earned), while walking three and fanning none. 

Webster finished with 11 hits as along wth Staker's four hits and 3 RBI, Kent added two hits and scored two runs. In addition to Kent's two runs scored, Smith and Dryer each scored two runs in the nightcap.