WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Webster Baseball scored a season high nine runs and used a four run fifth inning to break open close game here Saturday afternoon as the Gorloks picked up a 9-2 victory over Salve Regina in its second game of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational at Chain of Lakes Stadium.

With the win, the 15th-ranked Gorloks improve to 5-2 on the season, while Salve Regina, who is from Newport, Rhode Island, fell to 1-3 on the year.

In Saturday's win, junior centerfielder Aron Hopp (Lincoln, Ill./Lincoln College), who hit from the leadoff spot for the first time this season, scored three of Webster's season high nine runs and also stole a WU season high three bases. The three stolen bases are tied for 13th on the school's single game chart. Along with Hopp's three runs, sophomore third baseman Ben Swords (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) scored two runs. 

Along with scoring nine runs, Webster recorded eight hits, including three hits from senior rightfielder Nate Tholl (Tinley Park, Ill./John A. Logan CC), while five other Gorloks recorded a hit, including Swords extending his hit streak to seven straight games. Tholl has also hit safely in all seven games this season.

While recording eight hits, Webster also drew a season high tying seven walks in the win, including two apiece from Swords and redshirt junior designated hitter A.J. Smith (DuQuoin, Ill./DuQuoin). 

Those nine runs helped backed another outstanding start from sophomore Sean Beaver (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch) as he tossed seven innings and allowed just seven hits and two runs, while walking one and striking out six in his 94 pitch outing to give him his first win of the season as he is now 1-0 on the year. Beaver, who has made two starts and three appearances this season on the mound, has allowed just two runs in 17.2 innings of work and has recorded 23 strikeouts and three walks and had a 1.02 ERA on the year.

In Saturday's game, Webster jumped on the board in the top of the first inning with two runs. In the inning, Hopp led off with a walk, stole second and after junior All-American first baseman Kyler Kent (Pottsboro, Texas/Pottsboro) walked, both Hopp and Kent advanced a base on a wild pitch from SRU starting pitcher Michael Matthews. Swords would then load the bases as he drew a walk. Hopp would then score the first run on another wild pitch from Matthews and Smith would bring home the second run on a sacrifice fly to left. 

The Gorloks lead grew to 3-0 in the third inning as they used an error by Matthews, another steal from Hopp and an RBI single by Swords to score the run. 

SRU would prevent Beaver's attempt at a shutout in the fourth inning thanks to a walk and an RBI double by Tristan Dacey to pull within 3-1. 

Webster, though, would put the game out of reach in the fifth inning as they sent nine batters to the plate and recorded three hits and took advantage of a Seahawks error to score four runs and take a 7-1 lead. In the inning, WU scored on a balk, a muffed throw and a fielder's choice and an RBI single by junior catcher Joe Swanson (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine West). 

The Gorloks lead grew to 8-1 in the seventh inning as Hopp reached on a two-out single to left, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a balk by Seahawks reliever Tyler Hertzwig. 

SRU got that run back in the bottom of the seventh thanks to back-to-back pinch hits from Hunter Parker and Jack Betts to plate its second. Parker's hit was a double and Betts' hit was a single.

In the eighth, WU plated its ninth run without the benefit of a hit as Swords was hit by a pitch leading off the inning. Swords advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a fly out by Tholl and Swords then stole home on a double steal attempt as Smith stole second on the play. 

The Seahawks would put two runners on base in the bottom of the eighth off of freshman reliever Alex Foppe (St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary's), who was making his collegiate debut. In the inning, Ethan Lounsbury drew a walk with two outs as a pinch hitter and moved to second on a single by Dacey. That would be all the damage the SRU would do against Foppe as he got out of the jam by forcing Jared Beniers to line out to right. 

In the bottom of the ninth, junior Steven De La Torriente (South Elgin, Ill./Elgin CC) made his collegiate debut on the mound and retired the Seahawks in order, including ending the game by striking out Vincent Sorrentno on a 2-2 pitch. 

Matthews (0-1), who was one of four pitchers on the day for Salve Regina, pitched 4.1 innings and allowed two hits and four runs (three earned), while walking five and striking out six. 

The Seahawks also had eight hits in the game, including Dacey going 2-for-4 at the plate. 

Webster will continue play in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Sunday, March 10 with a 9 a.m. ET game against Ohio Northern at Osceola Heritage Park Field #1 in Kissimmee, Fla.