james theodore
4
Webster WEBSTER 0-1
5
Winner Rhodes RHODES 5-1
Webster WEBSTER
0-1
4
Final
5
Rhodes RHODES
5-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Webster WEBSTER 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 4 7 2
Rhodes RHODES 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 X 5 9 2

W: Z. Sohosky (1-0) L: Greifelt, Ryan (0-1) S: A. Carron (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Kyle Jones

Gorloks Late Innings Rally Falls Short To #24 Rhodes In Season Opener

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Webster University baseball team opened the 2025 season with a visit to #24 Rhodes College Friday afternoon. The Gorloks rallied in the final innings with three runs but fell short by the final score of 4-5. 

The Gorloks opened this game with a lead off walk drawn by Karl Peters as he later stole second. With a runner in scoring position, James Theodore advanced Peters to third. With one out, Evan Evola ripped a single to right that scored Peters that gave Webster the early 1-0 lead.

In the bottom half, WU's Ryan Greifelt earned the opening day start on the mound and recorded a scoreless inning that ended in a 6-4-3 double play. 

In the bottom of the second, Rhodes' Quinn Blackman led off the inning with a single to right. After a quick flyout, Greifelt caught Blackman leaning towards second as Evola threw him out at second. Greifelt closed out the inning with a dribbler back to himself on the mound that kept the 1-0 advantage. In the bottom half of the inning, Rhodes answered with back-to-back two-out hits as a double by Ben Burkhart scored Austin Smith that tied the game at one apiece.

After a scoreless fourth inning by both starting pitchers, Rhodes responded with a four-run fifth inning with an rbi double and a three-run homerun that generated the 5-1 deficit. In the bottom of the sixth, Greifelt returned to the mound for the Gorloks and recorded his fourth scoreless inning of the game that was capped off with a strikeout which ultimately ended his outing.

In the top of the seventh, WU's Dalton Groves got the inning started with a single to center and advanced to second on a single to right by Ryan Bibb. Moments later, Peters was hit by the pitch that loaded the bases. With one out, James Theodore recorded his first RBI of the season with a hard groundout to second that scored Groves that made the score 5-2. In the bottom of the seventh, the Gorloks called upon Jack Wilson out of the bullpen as he made his collegiate debut that resulted in a scoreless inning. 

In the top of the eighth, WU's Cullen McBride led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on an error by RC's shortstop Myles Kruger that allowed R.J LaRocco to reach base. With runners on base, WU's Nick Schumacher followed up with a single that loaded the bases. With no outs, Cameron Hailstone stepped in the box and cut the deficit to 5-3 with a sacrifice fly that scored McBride. The next batter in Groves drew a walk that loaded the bases again for Webster. Moments later and with two outs, R.J. LaRocco scored on a passed ball that cut the deficit to 5-4. 

In the bottom of the eighth, the Gorloks called upon senior Joel Arsenault out of the bullpen as he recorded a scoreless inning that included two strikeouts. WU's Theodore led off the top of the ninth inning with a single to right and advanced to second on an error by RC's second baseman Cooper Kuriger that allowed Evola to reach first base. Two batters later, LaRocco drew a one-out walk that loaded the bases. With two outs, Hailstone ripped a deep drive to center but was caught that ended the game. 

For the game, Groves recorded a team-high two hits while Theodore, Evola, and Hailstone drove in one each. On the mound, Greifelt pitched six innings and struck out two batters as Wilson and Arsenault recorded one inning each. 

The Gorloks will return back to the state of Tennessee on Friday, February 21st with a contest against Transylvania University starting at 11:00 AM in Millington, Tennessee.
Print Friendly Version