R.J. LaRocco
4
Hanover HANOVER 13-20
7
Winner Webster WEBSTER 28-7
Hanover HANOVER
13-20
4
Final
7
Webster WEBSTER
28-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Hanover HANOVER 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 4 10 2
Webster WEBSTER 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 X 7 9 1

W: Arsenault, Joel (1-0) L: B. Ault (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Kyle Jones

LaRocco's Late Homer Powers Webster Past Hanover 7-4

SAUGET, Ill. - The Webster University baseball team continued non-conference play by hosting Hanover College for a midweek decision Wednesday afternoon at Grizzlies Ballpark. The Gorloks rallied late with a three-run eighth inning with an RBI by Evan Evola and a two-run homer by R.J. LaRocco that led to a 7-4 victory over Hanover College. With the victory, Webster improves to 28-7 overall and 15-6 in non-conference play.

Right-handed starting pitcher Elijah Rompala-Matthews took the mound for his 10th start of the season and recorded a scoreless inning on three consecutive groundouts. In the bottom of the first, the Gorloks opened the scoring for the game with a three-run inning. With one out, James Theodore got the inning started with a one-out single to left and advanced to second with a stolen base. Following back-to-back walks drawn by Evola and LaRocco that loaded the bases, the Gorloks struck first on the scoreboard on a passed ball that scored Theodore. With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Ryan Hartz capped off the three-run inning with a two-run single through the left side that scored Evola and LaRocco for the early 3-0 lead. 

With the three-run advantage, Rompala-Matthews recorded back-to-back scoreless innings as he retired six straight batters. In the bottom of the third, Theodore led off the inning with a single to right and advanced to third on a throwing error by HC's first baseman on a pickoff play. Following a walk drawn by LaRocco that put runners on the corners, Nick Schumacher laid down a perfect squeeze bunt that scored Theodore for the 4-0 lead.  

In the top of the fourth, Hanover responded with a two-run inning that pushed the score to 4-2. In the top of the fifth, Webster made their first pitching change to Cullen McBride as he recorded a scoreless inning that included two strikeouts and lineout to Jacob Charlson at second base. 

In the sixth, the Panthers tied the game at 4-4 with a solo homer by Reid Douglas and RBI single by Wesley Stiller. The current all-time and single-season saves record holder in Joel Arsenault recorded the final out of the inning with a strikeout.

In the top of the seventh and eighth innings, Arsenault recorded back-to-back scoreless innings that included four strikeouts. WU's Dalton Groves got the Gorloks out of a jam as he picked off a runner on third that ended the top of the eighth. In the bottom half, Theodore reached base on an error by Hanover and scored on an RBI double to right by Evola that gave Webster the 5-4 advantage. With two outs, LaRocco stretched the lead to 7-4 with a two-run homer to left that scored Evola. In the top of the ninth, Arsenault recorded two flyouts and a groundout that earned his first victory of the season. 

For the game, LaRocco and Hartz drove in two RBI's each while Theodore had a three-hit game  and recorded three stolen bases. In addition, Evola and Schumacher recorded one hit and one RBI apiece. On the mound, Arsenault led all pitchers with five strikeouts while McBride added three as Rompala-Matthews contributed two. 

The Gorloks will revert back to conference play this Saturday, April 26 hosting Principia College starting at 1:00PM for Senior Day. 
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