SAUGET, Ill. - The Webster University baseball team opened St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play here Saturday afternoon by sweeping a doubleheader from Westminster (Mo.) College at GCS Credit Union Ballpark. Webster took Saturday's opener, 7-0 and then rallied to score three runs in the bottom of the eighth to post a 5-3 win in the nightcap. 

In the nightcap, the Gorloks offense rapped out a season high 12 hits, including fifth-year senior designated hitter A.J. Smith (DuQuoin, Ill./DuQuoin) going 3-for-4 at the plate. Along with Smith, fourth-year junior shortstop Matt Staker (El Cajon, Calif./Saint Augustine) also had three hits and scored two runs and fourth-year junior All-American third baseman Ben Swords (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) added two hits in the win. 

Freshman J.T. Miller (Centennial, Colo./Regis Jesuit) turned in another outstanding performance in his second career start as nearly one week after carrying a shutout into the seventh inning against Benedictine, he tossed six innings in the nightcap as he allowed two hits and one run, while walking one and striking out three in picking up his second no-decision of the year. Miller's ERA is now just 0.71 on the season. 

Pitching was the day of the game for the Gorloks in Saturday's doubleheader as Webster's two starters - graduate student All-American Matt Mulhearn (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) and Miller combined to pitch 14 innings and allow five hits, one run, while walking one and striking out 12. Mulhearn opened Saturday's doubleheader by pitching eight shutout innings, while scattering three hits and striking out nine. 

Both teams used six pitchers in the doubleheader as Webster had four pitchers face the Blue Jays in the nightcap, while Westminster used just two pitchers in the second game after utilizing four in the opener. 

Westminster committed four errors for the game, including two in the Webster's three run eighth inning. The Gorloks had just one error. 

The teams also left a combined 13 runners on base in the second game of the doubleheader as Webster stranded eight and Westminster left five. The Blue Jays defese also turned three double plays.

Westminster got on the scoreboard in the second game of the doubleheader in the top of the third inning as they used two hits, including an RBI single to right center by Connor Sherman and a bunt to plate a run off of Miller to take a 1-0 lead. 

The Gorloks would get that run back in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game off of Westminster starting pitcher Dawson Koch. In the inning, Matt Staker led off with a single to left, moved to second on a balk and after graduate student rightfielder Aron Hopp (Lincoln, Mo./Lincoln College) moved Staker to third with another bunt, fourth-year junior rightfielder Adam Lovell (Lafayette, Ind./Saint Joseph's College) brought home Staker with a sacrifice fly to right to tie the game.

Webster had a chance to break the tie in the bottom of the sixth as Swords led off with a single to left and then fifth-year senior Garrett Davis (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa Township) followed with a pinch-hit bunt single to put runners on first and second with no outs. Koch, though, would induce Smith to hit into a double play and then after second-year freshman leftfielder Landon Vahle (Lee's Summit, Mo./St. Michael Archangel) walked, Koch struck out third-year sophomore second baseman Mitch Daniels (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) on three pitches to leave the go-ahead runs stranded.
 

The Blue Jays, who are coached by former Gorlok player and assistant coach Zac Bishop, came back in the top of the seventh to plate two runs on three hits to take a 3-1 lead. Both of Westminster's runs came off of fourth-year junior hurler Sean Beaver (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch), who relieved Miller to open the inning. 

In the bottom of the seventh, the Gorloks got one of those runs back as they used three hits, including an RBI single to left by freshman catcher R.J. LaRocco (San Diego, Calif./Point Loma) to pull within a run at 3-2.

The Blue Jays would use an error by Swords and a walk by fourth-year junior reliever Jake Anderson (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) to put two runners on base, but Anderson would get out of the jam by striking out the final two hitters of the inning to keep score at 3-2. 

Webster would respond in the bottom of the eighth against Blue Jay reliever Andrew Boessen as they used three hits and two Westminster errors to score three runs to take a 5-3 lead. In the frame, Smith led off with a single to center, moved to second on bunt by Vahle and reached third when second-year freshman Dylan Coleman (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame College Prep) delivered a pinch hit single through the left side. Smith would score when the next hitter, Staker put now a perfect bunt that went between first base and the mound for a base hit and on the play, Westminster first baseman Parker Schneiders overthrew the ball at first base that became a three base error that allowed Coleman to score the fourth run and then Hopp followed by reaching on an errror by Westminster shortstop Payton Whitehead that allowed Staker to score the fifth and final run.

Anderson would retire the side in the top of the ninth to secure his first win of the season. 

Anderson tossed 2.1 innings and didn't allow a hit or run, while walking one and striking out four. 

Boessen (0-1) took the loss for Westminster as he tossed two innings and allowed six hits and four runs (two earned runs), while striking out one and walking none. Koch went six innings for the 'Jays and allowed six hits and one run, while walking three and striking out one in his second start of the year. 

Westminster had five players record a hit in the nightcap.

Each team also stole two bases each in the second game of the doubleheader. 

The two teams will conclude the four-game series on Wednesday, March 17 as the Gorloks will host Westminster for another doubleheader at GCS Ballpark. First pitch for Wednesday's doubleheader is set for 12 p.m. and will feature a seven inning game first, followed by a nine inning game.