FRONTENAC, Mo. - Playing at home for the first time in 11 days here Wednesday afternoon, Webster University Softball split a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader against Eureka College at St. Joseph's Academy.

The Gorloks opened Wednesday's doubleheader by scoring six runs in the first inning and then holding off a rally by the Red Devils to post a 6-4 win, before Eureka scored two runs in the top of the eighth to post a 3-2 win in eight innings in the nightcap. 

With the doubleheader split, Webster moves to 10-6 overall and 2-2 in the SLIAC, while Eureka moves to 4-9 overall, 3-4 in the SLIAC.

In the doubleheader, Webster's offense continued its hot play as they recorded a total of 18 hits and scored eight runs, including fifth-year senior centerfielder Abby Burroughs (Edwardsville, Ill./Triad) recording a total of three hits, scored two runs and had 2 RBI, while freshman shortstop/second baseman Sidney Holtz (Taylorsville, Utah/Murray) had three hits, including two in the nightcap. 

Eureka would jump in front 1-0 in the top of the first in the opener thanks to a lead-off home run off the bat of Raelyn Payne off of senior pitcher Morgan Parrish (Lawrenceville, Ill./Parkland College). 

The Gorloks, though, would send 11 hitters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and used five hits and took advantage of two Eureka errors to plate six runs and take a 6-1 lead. Burroughs would get the Gorloks on the board on her two-run single that skirted right past second base and three batters later, freshman catcher Jaelin Holdaway (West Valley, Utah/Cyprus) would bring home the third run on an fielder's choice and then freshman leftfielder Kaelyn Kearney (Draper, Utah/Corner Canyon) brought home the next run on a groundout, before senior designed player Kirbie Mendenhall (Rolbinson, Ill./Parkland College) followed with an RBI double and freshman rightfielder Reese Waggoner (Centennial, Colo./Eaglecrest) then delivered an RBI single down the right field line to complete the scoring in the inning.

Eureka, though, would plate three runs off of Parrish in the top of the third inning on a 3-run homer by Allison Cagley, The homer by Cagley was her first of the season and 10th of the year for the Red Devils. 

Following the homer, Parrish allowed a single to Aubrey Sanders and she was replaced in the circle by Mendenhall and over the next 4.1 innings, Mendenhall would hold Eureka to just three hits and no run, while walking one and striking out four to earn the win and improve to 4-1 on the season.

In the fifth, the Gorloks put runners on second and third with an error and a single by Kearney, but Sidney Wightman would get out of the jam by forcing both Mendenhall and Waggoner to foul out and keep the score at 6-4. 

Webster would put two runners on base in the sixth thanks to single by Burroughs and walk issued to sophomore pinch hitter Karissa Fredrickson (Fossland, Ill./Fisher Jr.-Sr. High) with two outs, but Wightman once again prevented any runs to score as she forced senior third baseman Alyssa McWilliams (Windsor, Colo./CSU-Pueblo) to hit into a fielder's choice. 

Mendenhall would run into trouble in the top of the seventh as she allowed a single to Payne and a double to Jordan Heinz with one out, before forcing Morgan Ledbetter to line out to McWilliams at third and then sealing the win by getting Cagley to ground out to third to end the game.

Burroughs had two hits and 2 RBI, while Waggoner also added two hits in the first game as the Gorloks recorded nine hits in the win. 

Payne went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Cagley added two hits and 3 RBI in the loss as Eureka had eight hits. 

The Red Devils committed three errors that led to four unearned runs for the Gorloks. 

Webster finished the game by leaving eight runners on base, while Eureka stranded six. 

Wightman (0-4) pitched all six innings and allowed nine hits and six runs (two earned runs), while walking two and striking out one. 

Meanwhile, the nightcap was a pitcher's duel between Waggoner and Torre Koontz as both pitchers tossed all eight innings and combined for nine strikeouts and one walk, while allowing just five runs and two earned runs. 

Waggoner, who suffered her first loss of the season in the circle as she fell to 3-1 on the year, pitched eight innings and allowed seven hits and three runs (two earned), while striking out six and walking none. In 27.2 innings on the season, Waggoner has walked just four and struck out 19.

Koontz was also effective as she tossed eight innings and allowed nine hits and two unearned runs, while striking out three and walking one to move to 2-2 on the season, 

The Red Devils would break a scoreless game in the top of the sixth inning as Payne lead off with a single, moved to second on a bunt and after reaching third on a passed ball, Payne would score on an RBI single to right center by Ledbetter. 

Webster, though, would tie the game in the bottom of the sixth as Burroughs reached on an error to open the inning, moved to second on a bunt by sophomore first baseman Ashlee Seltzer (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Rock Canyon) and would score on an RBI single down the left field line by freshman catcher Paige Thomas (Emporia, Kan./Emporia). Following Thomas' single, Kearney would reach on a single to put runners on first and third and Koontz would then load the bases when she walked Waggoner. The next hitter, senior pinch hitter Chloe Johnson (Hazelwood, Mo./STLCC), would ground out to second to end the inning with the bases loaded.

After neither team scored in the seventh to force extra innings, the Red Devils would plate two runs in the top of the eighth on an RBI single by Heinz and an RBI double by Ledbetter to take a 3-1 lead. 

The Gorloks, though, would plate a run on an RBI single by Thomas, but Koontz would follow Thomas' single by retiring the next two Gorloks in order to seal her win and prevent a sweep by the Gorloks. 

Holtz and Thomas each had two hits in the nightcap as Webster tallied nine hits. Eureka finished with seven hits as Ledbetter went 4-for-4 with 2 RBI, while Payne added two hits from the leadoff spot. 

Webster would strand 10 runners on base, including leaving at least one runner on base in all eight innings, while Eureka left five runners on base.

The Gorloks will return to action on Friday, April 16 as they travel to ABC Park in St. Ann, Mo., for a SLIAC doubleheader against Fontbonne. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.