EUREKA, Ill. - Webster University Softball stepped out of St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play here Sunday evening by splitting a non-conference doubleheader against Eureka College at Sweitzer Field.

Eureka opened Sunday's doubleheader with a 6-4 win, before the Gorloks recorded 14 hits and scored a combined 10 runs in the fourth and fifth innings to post a 13-2 run-ruled win in five innings in the second game.

With the doubleheader split, Webster improved to 12-8 overall, while Eureka improved to 5-10 on the season. 

Once again, Sunday's doubleheader continued Webster's pattern this season of splitting their doubleheader as they have now split now seven of its nine doubleheaders this season and it also marked the second consecutive doubleheader where Webster lost the first game, before winning the second game. The only doubleheaders Webster swept came this season at home against Blackburn on April 3 and in the season opener against Nebraska Wesleyan on March 5. 

In the second game, senior Kirbie Mendenhall (Robinson, Ill./Parkland College) was strong in the circle in the nightcap as she allowed six hits and two runs, while striking out three and walking one in five innings of work to improve to 6-1 on the season. The six wins are the most on the team and tied for the most in the league.

The 13 runs scored in the nightcap were tied for the most this season for the Gorloks, while the 14 hits were the second most in a game on the season. Eight of the 14 hits went for extra bases. 

Fifth-year senior centerfielder Abby Burroughs (Edwardsville, Ill./Triad) went 3-for-3 with four runs scored and 3 RBI, while Mendenhall, freshman shortstop Sidney Holtz (Taylorsville, Utah/Murray) and freshman catcher Jaelin Holdaway (West Valley, Utah/Cyprus) each had two hits and Holdaway added three RBI as she hit two doubles. For the game, seven of Webster nine starters recorded at least one hit in the game. 

Webster got on the scoreboard first in the second game as they used three hits and a wild pitch to score two runs. In the inning, Burroughs reached on a one-out double, moved to third on a single by Holtz and Burroughs would score on an RBI double by senior third baseman Alyssa McWilliams (Windsor, Colo./CSU-Pueblo). Holtz would score later in the inning on a wild pitch by Sidney Wightman. 

Eureka would get one of those runs back in the bottom of the first on an RBI single up the middle by Aubrey Sanders off of Mendenhall.

The Red Devils would tie the game at 2-all in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by Raelyn Payne. 

Webster would get that run back in the third inning to take a 3-2 lead on a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore first baseman Ashlee Seltzer (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Rock Canyon). Seltzer's fly ball plated Burroughs from third as Burroughs had reached on a one-out infield single. 

The Gorloks offense broke through in a big way in the fourth inning as they used three hits and a Eureka error to plate four runs. In the inning, senior rightfielder Breelyn Craig (Victorville, Calif./Trinidad State) walked to lead off the frame, moved to second on a bunt by junior leftfielder Taylor Jackson (Calgary, Alberta/Bishop Grandin) and would score on an RBI double by Holdway. After Mendenhall reached to put two runners on base, Burroughs drilled a 3-run homer to give WU a 7-2 lead. The homer was the fourth of the season for Burroughs and the 20th of her career, which is fourth on the school's career chart. 

Webster would then add six more runs on six hits in the top of the fifth inning. Holdaway began the scoring with a 2-run double to right center, while Mendenhall added an RBI double and sophomore Alexandria Cafolla (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood West) brought home a run on a pinch hit RBI single. The other two runs came on a ground out by Seltzer and an RBI double to left by sophomore pinch hitter Karissa Fredrickson (Foosland, Ill./Fisher Jr.-Sr.). 

Mendenhall would work around a single in the bottom of the fifth to seal Webster's run-ruled win that was halted after five innings due to 8-run mercy rule. 

Payne had two of Eureka's six hits in the second game. 

Wightman (0-5) took the loss for the Red Devils as she tossed 3.1 innings and allowed eight hits and seven runs (six earned runs), while walking one and striking out none. 

Webster left six runners on base and Eureka stranded five and committed two errors. 

Meanwhile, in the first game, Eureka outhit Webster, 8-6 and used a strong pitching performance from Torre Koontz, who pitched into the seventh inning. 

Three of Eureka's eight hits went for extra bases.

The Red Devils got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning as they used two hits, two walks and a stolen base to plate two runs off of freshman pitcher Jaleesa Smith (Harrison, Tenn./Chattanooga Central). The big hit was a 2-run single by Kennedy Savage. 

Eureka pushed their lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a 3-run homer by Morgan Ledbetter off of Smith. 

Webster would get one of those runs back in the top of the sixth inning as McWilliams brought home a run on his RBI single up the middle. In the inning, Webster recorded three hits, including breaking up Koontz's no-hit and perfect game bid with a lead off single through the left side by freshman leftfielder Reese Waggoner (Centennial, Colo./Eaglecrest). In fact, Waggoner was the first base runner of the game for the Gorloks. 

The Gorloks would score one more run in the top of the seventh as they recorded three hits, including a one-out triple to right field by freshman second baseman Kaelyn Kearney (Draper, Utah/Corner Canyon), who would score on an RBI single by senior leftfielder Anna Muecke (Lueneburg, Germany/Spartanburg Methodist) and Jackson would add a single to left in the inning. 

Six different Gorloks had a hit in the loss, while Payne had three hits and Ledbetter and Savage each added two hits. Ledbetter also had 4 RBI.

Smith (0-1) pitched four innings and allowed five hits and five runs, while walking three and striking out none. Senior Morgan Parrish (Lawrenceville, Ill./Parkland College) would pitch the final two innings as she allowed three hits and one run, while walking two and striking out two. 

Koontz (3-2) pitched 6.1 innings and allowed six hits and two runs, while striking out two and walking none. 

The Gorloks left five runners on base, while Eureka stranded seven. 

Webster will continue non-conference action this coming Tuesday, April 20 as they will host Washington University in St. Louis in a 5 p.m. single game at St. Joseph's Academy in Frontenac.