CLERMONT, Fla. - Webster University Softball opened up play here Friday in the 2020 PFX Spring Games by posting back-to-back wins over Eastern (Pa.) University and Saint Joseph's (Maine) at Legends Way Softball Complex. 

The Gorloks, who moved to 3-3 on the season with the two wins, opened the day with an 11-5 come-from-behind win over Eastern and then picked up a 9-1 win halted in the fifth inning due to the 8-run mercy rule. 

On the day, Webster warmed up its bats in the warm Central Florida weather as Webster rapped out a total of 28 hits and scored 20 runs in the two games. 

Against Eastern, Webster recorded season highs for both runs (11) and hits (18) and scored at least one run over the final five innings after Eastern had taken a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. 

The 18 hits are tied for the 12th most in a game in school history and the most for the Gorloks in a game since recording 19 hits against Principia on April 10, 2015. 

In the win over Eastern, seven Gorloks recorded two hits and junior rightfielder Chloe Johnson (Hazelwood, Mo./STLCC) had three hits, two of which were doubles as Webster recorded five extra-base hits in the win, including a 2-run homer in the third inning from senior centerfielder Abby Burroughs (Edwardsville, Ill./Triad) to bring the Gorloks within a run at 3-2. 

Burroughs' homer came just after Eastern took advantage of two hits and an error to plate three runs and take a 3-0 lead in the game. The big hit in the inning was a 2-run triple off the bat of Elena Iannuzzelli against senior pitcher Breelyn Craig (Victorville, Calif./Trinidad State), who started in the circle for the Gorloks. 

Traling 3-2, the Gorloks tied the game in the fourth on two singles and an RBI double by Johnson. 

In the fifth, Webster sent 10 hitters to the plate and recorded six hits and scored five runs to take an 8-3 lead in the game. The big hit in the inning was a 2-run single by Johnson, who recorded four RBI in the game. 

Eastern would add a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Leslie Lutin, but the Gorloks got that run back in the top of sixth on an RBI single off the bat of senior third baseman Avery Boccella (Gilbert, Ariz./Trinidad State). Boccella's single gave the Gorloks a 9-4 lead. 

The Eagles pushed within 9-5 in the bottom of the sixth on an RBi single by Rebecca Howard off of junior pitcher Kirbie Mendenhall (Robinson, Ill./Parkland College), who relieved Craig in the second inning. 

In the seventh, the Gorloks had three hits and took advantage of an error to score two runs and push its lead to 11-5. Johnson and Mendenhall had the RBI's in the inning on a double and a single.

Mendenhall would allow a lead off single in the bottom of the seventh, but would retire the next three Eagles in order to seal her first career pitching win as a Gorlok.

For the game, Mendenhall tossed 5.1 innings and allowed nine hits and two runs, while striking out one and walking none. Craig went 1.2 innings and allowed two hits and three runs (two earned), while walking two and fanning two. 

The two hit games were collected by Mendenhall, Burroughs, Boccella, sophomore shortstop Sheyla Iniguez (Riverside, Calif./Bloomington), sophomore leftfielder Emma Steltzer (Manchester, Mo./Univ. of New Mexico) and sophomore first baseman Ashlee Seltzer (Castle Pines, Colo./Rock Canyon).

In the game, Iniguez, Burroughs, Steltzer and Seltzer each scored two runs. 

Sami Britton (2-2) took the loss in relief for the Eagles as she pitched 1.2 innings and allowed six hits and six runs, while walking one and fanning none. 

Iannuzzelli, Howard and Kelsie Parker each had two hits for Eastern as the Eagles finished with 11 hits in the loss. 

Meanwhile, in the second game of the day against Saint Joseph's (Maine), the Monks scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning thanks to an RBI single off of junior Morgan Parrish (Lawrenceville, Ill./Parkland College), who started in the circle for the Gorloks. 

The Gorloks, though, would respond in the bottom of the first inning as the first three Gorloks reached base thanks to an error, a walk and a single and Webster got its first run on an fielder's choice off the bat of Steltzer and got two runs on a 2-run single from Seltzer and added a fourth run on an fielder's choice by Johnson. 

Parrish would then take off in the circle as she struck out the side in the second and fourth and recorded two strikeouts in the fifth as she finished with a career high nine in the game. Along with nine strikeouts, Parrish didn't walk a batter and allowed four hits to improve her record to 1-1 on the year. 

The Gorloks gave Parrish three runs of support in the second as they recorded four hits in the inning, including three doubles from Burroughs, Boccella and Steltzer, to take a 7-1 lead. 

In the third, the Gorloks were retired in order and after putting one runner on base in the fourth thanks to a lead off single, the Gorloks ended the game early in the bottom of the fifth as they scored two runs thanks to an RBI single by Parrish and an RBI single by Iniguez that capped the scoring and gave Webster a 9-1 win.

Against the Monks, Burroughs and Boccella combined to go 4-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.

Steltzer and Seltzer combined for two RBIs each in the win. 

Sydney Hatch (1-2) took the loss to Saint Joesph's (4-6) as she pitched 1.2 innings and allowed six hits and seven runs (five earned), while walking one and fanning one. 

The Monks defense committed four errors in the game, while Webster did not commit an error.

Webster will continue play in the 2020 PFX Spring Games on Saturday, March 7 as they face Houghton College and Saint Mary's (Minn.) at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. ET respectively at Legends Way Complex.