WEBSTER GROVES – In today's 11th Tuesday Top 5, which delves into some of the top five statistical lists in the history of Webster University Athletics, we look at the Top 5 totals for career stolen bases in the history of the Webster baseball program. These statistical lists are based on actual rankings by the statistic or category listed with information on each of those student-athletes in the Top 5 rankings.
The career stolen base mark for baseball was set from 2010-13 by Cody Stevenson as he recorded 165 steals and those 165 steals are fifth most in NCAA Division III baseball history and is also the most in the history of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In the 32-year history of the Gorlok baseball program, only 10 players have stolen 40 or more bases in a career and only two have had 60 or more career stolen bases. This group of the top five base stealers in school history combined to steal 373 bases and were a combined 373-for-441 all-time in stolen bases for a percentage of 84.6 percent.
Listed below are the Top 5 all-time leaders in career stolen bases for Webster University Baseball.
Cody Stevenson (2010-13) – 165 Stolen Bases … During his four year career as a Gorlok from 2010-13, Stevenson stole a total of 165 bases in 180 career games and was a 165-for-184 on stolen bases. Both of those marks are school records. In his time as a Gorlok, Stevenson led NCAA Division III in stolen bases in both 2011 and 2012 as in 2011, he recorded then school record 47 steals and then set a new school record with 59 steals in 2012. Those 59 stolen bases in 2012 are tied for 12th on the NCAA Division III single season chart and tops in a season in SLIAC history. Stevenson, who was recently named to the SLIAC 2010-19 All-Decade Baseball Team, stole at least 25 bases in all four seasons as a Gorlok as along with his 59 and 47 steals in 2011 and 2012, he also had 32 steals as a senior in 2013 and 27 steals as a freshman in 2010. His 32 steals are third most in a season in school history. Stevenson currently holds the school's top three spots on the single season stolen base chart. As a Gorlok, Stevenson was a four-time First-Team All-SLIAC selection and was named the SLIAC Newcomer of the Year in 2010 and was a Second-Team ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region selection in 2012. Additionally, he earned a spot on the SLIAC All-Tournament Team in 2013 and also was named to the NCAA Central Regional All-Tournament Team in 2013. Along with his stolen base prowess, Stevenson, who is a native of Salem, Ill., also holds school career marks for games played (180), at-bats (636), runs scored (206), triples (13), walks (100), stolen bases (165) and is third in career hit by pitches (34), fourth in career hits (198) and tied for ninth in career doubles (35). In addition, he holds single season school records in triples (7 in 2012) and stolen bases (59 in 2012). In addition to holding the school's career and single season stolen base marks, he also holds the school's single game mark as he stole five bases in 2013 against Eureka College.
Alex Raetzloff (2006-09) – 62 Stolen Bases … Raetzloff, who was inducted into the Webster Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015, sits second on the school's all-time stolen base chart as he stole a total of 62 bases in 75 career attempts. His 62 career storlen bases are tied for seventh on the SLIAC's all-time list. In his time as a Gorlok, Raetzloff stole 15 or more bases in three seasons, including a high of 30 steals in 2007. Those 30 steals were at the time a single season school record and are now tied for fourth on the school's single season charts. He also recorded 17 steals in 2008 and 15 steals as a senior in 2009. Raetzloff, who prepped at Hazelwood Central High School, is one of only three different Gorloks to steal 30 or more bases in a single season. Along with being second in career stolen bases, Raetzloff, who was an ABCA Third Team All-American in 2008 and was All-Central Region selection in 2007 and 2008, sits second in career walks (90) and is third in career runs scored (164) and sixth in career hits (172). He also hit .351 in his career and posted a career .562 slugging percentage and a .460 career on-base percentage.
Nathan Shelton (2008-11) – 59 Stolen Bases … In his four years as a Gorlok from 2008-11, Shelton sits third in career stolen bases with 59 as he went 59-for-73 on stolen bases. Along with being third in career stolen bases, he also stole 30 bases as a senior in 2011 and those 30 steals are tied for fourth on the school's single season chart. In fact, Shelton, who was a three-time All-SLIAC selection, including earning first team honors in 2009 and 2011, is one three different Gorloks to steal 30 or more bases in a single season. During his career, Shelton, who is a native of Dittmer, Mo., hit .332 and recorded 171 hits, scored 132 runs, hits 27 doubles, two triples and three home runs. In addition, he had 76 RBI and walked 53 times. His 38 stolen base attempts in 2011 are third on the school's single season chart. Along with recording 30 steals in 2011, Shelton also had 12 steals in 2008, nine steals in 2009 and eight steals in 2010.
David Umfleet (2005-08) – 44 Stolen Bases … Another four-year lettermen for the Gorloks, Umfleet tallied 44 stolen bases in his career and those 44 stolen bases are fourth on the school's career chart. Along with picking up 44 career steals, he had 56 career stolen base attempts and those 56 attempts are also fourth on the school's single season chart. During his time as a Gorlok, Umfleet recorded double-digit stolen bases two times as he had a high of 21 steals as a senior in 2008 and tallied 17 steals in 2007. As a Gorlok, Umfleet, who is a native of O'Fallon, Mo., was a two-time All-SLIAC selection in 2007 and 2008 and recorded a career batting average of .362. He ranks second on the school's all-time list in on-base percentage (.485), fourth in career walks (67) and fifth in hits by pitch (29). In addition, his .547 on-base percentage in 2007 is second on the school's single season chart.
John Ross (1990-93) – 43 Stolen Bases … The only player in the Top 5 of career stolen bases that played in the early years of the Webster program as he recorded 43 career stolen bases from 1990-93. In his time as a Gorlok, Ross was 43-for-53 on stolen bases and had 19 or more steals in two of those four seasons as he had a then school record 24 steals in 1991 and tallied 19 steals in 1992. His 53 stolen base attempts are also fifth on the school's career chart, while his .889 (24-of-27) stolen base percentage is tied for sixth on the school's single season chart. As a junior in 1992, Ross was named a First-Team All-SLIAC selection as he hit .386 with 34 hits, 21 runs scored, seven doubles, one home run, 13 RBI and 19 stolen bases.
Five other Gorloks, including two current players, have recorded 40 or more career stolen bases as
Nate Tholl (2017-19) recorded 42 stolen bases and was 42-for-48 in career stolen bases, while Eric Stack (1988-91), who was inducted into the Webster Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011, had 41 steals and was 41-for-45 in stolen bases and three players are tied for eighth on the school's career chart with 40 career steals –
Adam Lovell (2018-present),
Ben Swords (2018-present) and Conner Wardlaw (2017-18). Lovell is 40-for-49 in career steals entering the 2021 season, while Swords is 40-for-47 in career steals coming into this coming spring season.
Please remember to check back each Tuesday during the fall of 2020 for the newest edition of Tuesday Top 5.
