LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Playing its first St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games since splitting a home doubleheader on April 20, 2019 against Principia College, Webster University softball opened SLIAC play here Sunday by splitting a doubleheader at the SU Athletic Complex against Spalding University.

The Gorloks opened the doubleheader by recording nine hits and using a complete game effort in the circle from freshman Reese Waggoner (Centennial, Colo./Eaglecrest) to post a 4-2 win, before recording season highs in both hits (17) and runs (13) and committing nine errors in a 14-13 loss in eight innings in the nightcap. 

With the doubleheader split, Webster improves to 9-5 overall and 1-1 in the SLIAC, while Spalding falls to 11-7 overall and 8-4 in the SLIAC. 

In Sunday's doubleheader, Webster offense recorded a total of 26 hits and scored 17 runs, including fifth-year senior centerfielder Abby Burroughs (Edwardsville, Ill./Triad) going 6-for-9 with four runs scored, two doubles, a triple and 3 RBI, including a 5-for-6 effort with three runs in the nightcap. The five hits are tied for second most in a game in school history. 

Along with Burroughs' six hits in the doubleheader, senior pitcher Kirbie Mendenhall (Robinson, Ill./Parkland College) had four hits and scored three runs, while freshman leftfielder Kaelyn Kearney (Draper, Utah/Corner Canyon), freshman shortstop Sidney Holtz (Taylorsville, Utah/Murray) and freshman catcher Jaelin Holdaway (West Valley, Utah/Cyprus) each had three hits in the doubleheader. 

In the opener, Spalding got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first as they used one hit, which was an RBI double by Grace Sweat, a walk, a stolen base and a passed ball to score two runs to take a 2-0 lead in the game. 

The Gorloks would get one of those runs back in the top of the fourth as Mendenhall hit an RBI triple down the left field line to plate Holdaway, who had reached on a one-out single through the right side off of Olivia Carter. 

Webster took the lead in the top of the fifth as they used three hits, including RBIs on a triple by Burroughs and a single by sophomore first baseman Ashlee Seltzer (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Rock Canyon) to push in front, 3-2.

The Gorloks lead grew to 4-2 in the top of the sixth as Mendenhall led off the inning with a triple and would later score in the inning on a fielder's choice by Burroughs. 

Those four runs would be more than enough for Waggoner to pick up her third win of the season and improved to 3-0 on the season. Waggoner, who was last week's SLIAC Pitcher of the Week, tossed a complete game and allowed four hits and two runs (one earned run), while walking one and striking out one. 

Holdaway went 3-for-4 and Mendenhall added two hits to pace the Gorloks as they had nine hits in the first game. Three of those nine hits were triples, which is tied for second most in a game in school history. 

Carter (5-3) took the loss in the circle for the Golden Eagles as she pitched all seven innings and allowed nine hits and four runs, while walking five and striking out two. 

Maranda Thomas had three of Spalding's four hits in the opener. 

The two teams left a combined 18 runners on base as Webster stranded 11 runners and Spalding left seven runners on base. 

Meanwhile, the nightcap of the doubleheader was a wild affair as the two teams combined to score 27 runs and record 32 hits and committed a total of 12 errors. In fact, the teams scored three or more runs in an inning five times, including scoring three runs in the eighth inning. 

Webster finished the nightcap with 13 runs scored and had 17 hits, while committed nine errors, which was one shy of the school's single game record of 10 set against Trine University on March 6, 2015. 

Spalding opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning as they used four hits to plate three runs off of Waggoner, who started the game in the circle, but failed to record an out. 

The Gorloks, though, would came back in the top of the second inning and score three times to tie the game at 3-all. The big hit in the inning was a 2-run homer by Mendenhall off of Spalding pitcher Bella Velez. 

Spalding would load the bases in the third inning thanks to a hit by pitch, a walk and three errors against senior pitcher Morgan Parrish (Lawrenceville, Ill./Parkland College), but Parrish wouldn't allow any runs in the inning to keep the score tied.

The Golden Eagles would plate four more runs in the third inning on three hits and an error to push out to a 7-3 lead. 

Webster would come back in the top of the fourth and plate two runs on an RBI double to right center by Burroughs and an error by Bailey Melton on a ball hit by Seltzer to drop Spalding's lead to 7-5. 

Spalding would record two hits and use two Gorlok errors to plate four runs and push its lead to 11-5. 

Webster, though, once again came right back in the top of the sixth inning as they sent 10 hitters to the plate as they scored five runs on four hits to pull within 11-10. In the inning, the Gorloks scored runs on RBI singles by Kearney and senior third baseman Alyssa McWilliams (Windsor, Colo./CSU-Pueblo), while senior rightfielder Anna Muecke (Lueneburg, Germany/Spartanburg Methodist) drove in a run after drawing a bases loaded walk and junior shortstop/third baseman Sheyla Iniguez (Riverside, Calif./Bloomington) brought home two runs on an RBI single down the right field line.

Spalding pushed its lead to 12-10 in the bottom of the sixth as Melton brought home a run on her RBI single up the middle off of Mendenhall, who relieved Parrish in the circle in the fifth inning. 

Trailing by two runs heading into the seventh, the Gorloks would open the inning with back-to-back doubles by Burroughs and Seltzer with the latter double bringing the Gorloks within one run at 12-11. Carter would relieve Velez after she allowed Seltzer's double and after she struck out McWilliams for the first out, she allowed an RBI double to freshman catcher Paige Thomas (Emporia, Kan./Emporia) to tie the game. 

Mendenhall would keep the Golden Eagles off the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings. 

In the top of the eighth, Mendenhall, who was placed at second to open the inning thanks to the international tiebreaker rule, would score on a passed ball to take a 13-12 lead. The Gorloks would eventually load the bases on a walk, a single by Burroughs and Seltzer getting hit by a pitch, Carter would get out of the jam by getting McWilliams to ground out to end the inning. 

Spalding would come back in the bottom of the eighth as they score their first run when Sweat led off with a single to right and on the play, Muecke would make an error in right field that allowed Carter, who was placed on second, to score to tie the game. After a wild pitch by sophomore pitcher Alexandria Cafolla (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood West) moved Sweat to third, Melton followed with an RBI single up the middle to bring home the winning run to seal the Golden Eagles' win.

Along with Burroughs' five hits and three runs scored, Kearney added three hits and two runs, while Mendenhall and Holtz each had two hits and combined to score four runs and record 3 RBI. 

Cafolla (0-1) took the loss in the circle as she pitched one inning and allowed three hits and two runs, while walking one and striking out one. 

Carter (6-4) earned the win in the circle as she pitched two innings and allowed two hits and one unearned run, while walking one and striking out one. 

Madison Loechle and Jennifer Peffley each had three hits and combined to score seven runs in the win, while Sweat also had three hits and 3 RBI and Melton recorded two hits and 2 RBI. Velez was 2-for-5 with 3 RBI for Spalding. 

While Webster committed nine errors, Spalding had three errors. 

The two teams combined to leave 30 runners on base as Spalding left 16 and Webster stranded 14. 

Webster will return to action this coming Wednesday, April 12 as they host Eureka College for a SLIAC doubleheader at St. Joseph's Academy. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.