ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Webster University softball team was back in action this afternoon when they played host to the Hanover (Ind.) College Panthers for a nonconference doubleheader. The Gorloks swept the doubleheader as they won the first game by a final score of 9-1 (5 inn.) and then won the second game by a final score of 8-6 (8 inn.) to improve to 3-2-1 on the season. With the sweep, Hanover drops to 0-2 on the year.

In their first game of the day, Webster got off to a great start as they rallied for four runs in the bottom of the first, including a three-run double from Emma Bovaconti, to jump out to an early 4-0 lead. Sidney Holtz would extend the lead to five in the in the top of the second with an RBI single and the Gorloks would take a 5-0 lead into the third. The Panthers would cut the lead to 5-1 in the top of the fifth, but a four-run rally from the Gorloks in the bottom half of the frame solidified the win for Webster.

Cheyenne Dickens (2-0) was the starting pitcher in this one as she did not allow a hit while striking out three in 3.0 innings. Ainsley Hinz pitched in relief as she allowed just one hit and one earned run while striking out two in the final 2.0 innings of the game.

Webster rallied for 10 hits in the contest. Emma Bovaconti led the way as she went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored. Katie Croxall and Lili Work also recorded multi-hit games as Croxall went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Work went 2-for-3. In addition, Sidney Holtz went 1-for-4 with two RBI, Kaelyn Kearney went 1-for-2 with a two-run homerun, and Alyssa Lyell went 1-for-1 with an RBI to round out the top performers for Webster.

Webster got off to a slow start in their second game of the day as Hanover scored a run in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead. The Gorloks tied the score in the bottom of the fourth, and then rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-1 advantage. The Panthers would bounce back in the top of the sixth and rallied for four runs to take a 5-4 lead heading into the seventh. Webster would tie the score in the bottom of the seventh and the game went to extras. The Panthers would score a run in the top of eighth, but three runs from Webster, capped off by a two-run walk off homerun from Paige Thomas, in the bottom of the eighth solidified the sweep.

Madi Stichling got the start in the second game as she allowed four hits and an earned run while striking out one in 3.0 innings. Reese Waggoner and Braidyn Burr (1-1) pitched in relief as the two combined to allow eight hits and four earned runs while striking out four in the final 5.0 innings of the game.

The Gorloks recorded 16 hits in their second game of the day. Paige Thomas led the way as she went 3-for-5 with two two-run homeruns and three runs scored. Katie Croxall, Sidney Holtz, and Lucy St. John also recorded multi-hit games as Croxall went 2-for-5 with a run scored, Holtz went 3-for-4 with a run scored, and St. John went 2-for-4 with an RBI. In addition, Lili Work, Aven Ragwar-Hayes, and Abigail Chandler each recorded an RBI.

The Gorloks return to the diamond tomorrow, February 25^th when they take on Illinois College and University of the Ozarks (Ark.) for a nonconference doubleheader. The games will take place at Plummer Family Park in Edwardsville, Illinois, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.