DECATUR, Ill. - Webster University Baseball picked the wrong time to play perhaps its worst game of the season here Friday evening as the No. 2 ranked and No. 2 seeded Gorloks fell 8-1 to No. 3 seeded Denison University in a winner's bracket match-up in the NCAA Division III Decatur Regional held at the Workman Family Baseball Field on the Millikin University campus.

The eight runs allowed tied a season high, while the 12 hits allowed were tied a season high. In addition, the one run scored was also the fewest runs scored in a game this season by the Gorloks. 

With the loss, Webster snaps its 11 game win streak and drops its record to 36-7 and falls into an elimination round game in the double elmination tournament on Saturday, May 29 at 11 a.m. against fifth-seeded Transylvania, whom the Gorloks defeated 4-1 in Thursday's regional opener. Denison improved to 25-11 overall and moves into a winner's bracket match-up on Saturday, May 29 at 2:30 p.m. against top-ranked and top-seeded WashU. The winner of that game advances to Sunday's championship game at 1 p.m. 

Five of Denison's hits were bunt singles, including two bunt singles each in the fourth and eighth innings and those bunt hits led to a combined five of the Big Red's eight runs. 

While Denison recorded 12 hits, the Gorloks offense recorded 10 hits, including a 3-for-5 effort at the plate from freshman designated hitter R.J. LaRocco (San Diego, Calif./Point Loma), but the Gorloks struck out times against Denison pitchers Taylor Perret and Henry Haack. The Gorloks also stranded 10 runners in the game as they left runners on base in every inning but the eighth.

Along with LaRocco's three hits, fourth-year junior rightfielder Adam Lovell (Lafayette, Ind./Saint Joseph's College), fifth-year senior All-American first baseman Kyler Kent (Pottsboro, Texas/Pottsboro) and second-year freshman leftfielder Landon Vahle (Lee's Summit, Mo./St. Michael Archangel) each had two hits in the setback. 

Denison got things started early in Friday's game as the leadoff hitter, Dylan Hunter drilled the second pitch he saw over the fence in left for a home run off of second-year freshman Jordan Smevoll (Dyer, Ind./Marian Catholic), who was starting on the mound for the Gorloks. The homer was the fifth of the season for Hunter.

In the bottom of the first, Lovell reached on a leadoff single, but would be erased after being caught trying to steal second. Later in the inning, Kent reached on a single up the middle and then fourth-year junior shortstop Ben Swords (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) drew a walk to put two runners on base, Perret would get out of the jam by forcing fifth-year second baseman A.J. Smith (DuQuoin, Ill./DuQuoin) to line out to first. 

Vahle would record a two-out single and then steal second in the bottom of the second, but Perret would strike out fifth-year centerfielder Aron Hopp (Lincoln, Ill./Lincoln College) to leave Vahle stranded.

The Big Red, who are making its third all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament this season, pushed its lead to 3-0 in the fourth as Ty Robinson led off with a single, moved to second on wild pitch and then Max Lahn reached on a bunt single to put runners on first and third. The next hitter, Daniel Spencer, drove home a run his bunt single and then a sacrifice bunt by Sam Correa put runners on second and third. The next hitter, Owen Wilson brought home the second run on his sacrifice fly to right. 

Denison added two more runs in the fifth to push its lead to 5-0. The first run scored on an RBI single by Lahn and the second run scored on a passed ball by Gorlok third year sophomore catcher Zach Goodman (Greenwood Village, Colo./Arapahoe). 

In the bottom of the fifth, after the first two Gorloks recorded outs to open the frame, LaRocco reached on a single to left and moved to third on a single by Kent. On that hit, Kent reached second on an fielding error in left by Will Krushena. Perret, though, would leave those two runners on base as Swords struck out looking to end the inning. 

The Gorloks would avoid a shutout in the bottom of the seventh as Lovell reached on a one-out triple to left center and then scored on an RBI single by LaRocco that chased Perret from the game. Haack would come into game from the Denison bullpen and retire the two hitters he faced in order to leave a runner on base. 

Denison would add three more runs to its tally in the eighth inning as they used three hits, including two bunt hits, a walk and two sacrifice flies to push its lead to 8-1. 

In the ninth, Vahle led off the with single, moved to second on a wild pitch, but Haack would leave him stranded as he struck out both Hopp and Lovell looking and forced LaRocco to ground out to second to end the game and seal the Big Red's win.

Smevoll (9-1) suffered his first loss of the season as he pitched 4.1 innings and allowed eight hits and five runs, while walking two and striking out six. The Gorloks next two pitchers - third-year sophomore Joey Marko (Winfield, Mo./Winfield) and fourth-year junior Andrew Padilla (Burbank, Ill./Reavis) - combined to pitch 4.2 innings as they allowed four hits and three runs, while walking three and striking out four. 

Perret (5-2) picked up the win as he pitched 6.1 innings and allowed nine hits and one run, while walking two and striking out 10 in his 122-pitch outing. Haack would pitch 2.2 scoreless innings and allowed one hit and struck out three. 

In addition to Webster leaving 10 runners on base, Denison stranded nine and committed two errors. 

Here is the schedule for the remainder of the Decatur, Illinois Regional

Saturday, May 29
Game 7 - #2 seed Webster vs. #5 Transylvania, 11 a.m. (Loser eliminated)
Game 8 - #1 seed WashU vs. #3 Denison, 2:30 p.m. 
Game 9 - Winner of Game 7 vs. Loser of Game 8, 6 p.m. (Loser eliminated)
Sunday, May 30 - Championship Round
Game 10 - Winner Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9, 1 p.m.
Game 11 - If Necessary Game, 4 p.m.
Regional champion advances to the 2021 NCAA Division III World Series at Perfect Game Field at Veteran's Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.