O'FALLON, Mo. - The No. 14 Webster University baseball team closed out the 2025 SLIAC Baseball Championships with the championship game against Mississippi University for Women on Saturday at CarShield Field. The Gorloks blasted four homeruns that led to a 13-5 victory over the Owls that claimed the 2025 SLIAC Baseball title. Webster improves to 36-7 overall and has earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals.

With this SLIAC title, the Gorloks have secured their 13th SLIAC Championship title in conference history which leads the entire conference. In addition, Head Coach Bill Kurich secures his 11th SLIAC title in his 19th year as the leader of the program. Webster will make their 15th NCAA Regional appearance under Head Coach Kurich next week. 

Junior right-handed pitcher Elijah Rompala-Matthews earned his 11th start of the season as he opened the game with a scoreless inning that included two strikeouts and a caught stealing throw down by catcher Dalton Groves. In the bottom of the first, senior Evan Evola got the inning started with a two-out single to center. Moments later, cleanup hitter R.J. LaRocco gave the Gorloks the early 1-0 lead with an RBI single to left that scored Evola. 

In the top of the second, Rompala-Matthews recorded the first two outs that included a popup to Ben Stedman at third and an unassisted grounder to Evola at first. With two outs, the Owls recorded back-to-back singles but Rompala-Matthews left those runners stranded with an inning-ending strikeout that kept the Owls off the scoreboard. 

In the top of the third, Rompala-Matthews sent down the Owls in order that included two groundouts and a strikeout. In the bottom half, James Theodore led off the side with a single to center and immediately stole second. Following a walk drawn by Evola, Theodore and Evola executed the double-steal attempt as both runners moved up 90 feet. With one out and runners in scoring position, designated hitter Nick Schumacher extended the lead to 4-0 with a three-run homer over the center field wall. 

In the top of the fourth, Rompala-Matthews kept his great outing going as he recorded a strikeout and two weak grounders for his fourth consecutive shutout inning. In the bottom frame, Groves led off the side with a double to left when Charlson followed up with a walk. With two runners on, Karl Peters laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced both runners further into scoring positions. With one out, Theodore extended the lead to 5-0 with a sacrifice fly that scored Groves. With two outs and Charlson on third, Evola ripped an RBI single up the middle that scored Charlson for the 6-0 advantage. 

In the top of the fifth, Rompala-Matthews recorded back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to Peter at shortstop for his fifth consecutive scoreless inning. In the bottom half and one out, first-year Ryan Hartz stretched the lead to 7-0 with a solo homer over the right center field wall.

In the top of the sixth, Webster made a pitching change and called up senior reliever Ethan Luzum and entered in Nick Wrubluski behind the dish as he replaced Groves. Luzum allowed a lead off single and got that runner out on a grounder to Peters at shortstop. Following a defensive error by the Gorloks that put Owls on the corners, Luzum got out of the inning with runner interference double-play that kept MUW off the scoreboard. In the bottom half, Evola got the inning started with a triple to left center. With two outs, Evola increased the lead to 8-0 as he scored on a wild pitch. 

In the top of the seventh, Webster made a pitching change and called upon graduate-student Cullen McBride. McBride got in a jam as the Owls strung together four hits that produced three runs that made the score 8-3. Following a hit-by-pitch issued by McBride, the Gorloks made a pitching change and entered the current NCAA Division III saves leader in Joel Arsenault with the bases loaded. Moments later, Arsenault plunked the first batter he saw that allowed a run to cross the plate that made the score 8-4. Arsenault got out of the inning with a line out back to himself on the mound. 

In the bottom of the seventh, graduate-student Andrew Xenakis led off the inning with an absolute moonshot over the 44 foot tall right field wall that stretched the lead to 9-4. Following a double by Stedman, Wrubluski increased the lead to 11-4 with a two-run homer over the left field wall. WU's Charlson continued the inning with a double to right center as Peters moved him to third. With one out and Charlson on third, Theodore executed the squeeze play to perfection as he scored Charlson for the 12-4 lead while also reaching base. Following that play, the Gorloks loaded the bases on back-to-back walks by Evola and LaRocco. With the bases juiced, Schumacher extended the lead to 13-4 with a sacrifice fly that scored Theodore. 

In the top of the eighth, Arsenault recorded a scoreless inning that included two groundouts and a flyout. In the ninth, the Owls recorded two hits that produced a run that made the score 13-5. Following a strikeout by Arsenault, he recorded a groundout to Charlson at second that secured the title. 

For the game, Webster launched four home runs that included a three-run blast by Schumacher as he led with four RBI's. In addition, Hartz, Xenakis, and Wrubluski each recorded a solo homer. Evola led the team with three hits while Theodore, Stedman, and Groves had two hits each. On the mound, Rompala-Matthews pitched five innings and recorded seven strikeouts while Arsenault closed out the final two and one-third innings and secured his 12th save of the season.  

Following the game, three Gorloks were named to the All-Tournament team; starting pitcher J.T. Miller, designated hitter Schumacher, and starting pitcher Ryan Greifelt was named the 2025 SLIAC Baseball Championships Most Valuable Player. 

The Gorloks have earned a spot in the NCAA Regionals and will find out their matchup on Monday, May 12 on the NCAA Division III Selection Show.