james theodore
4
Westminster (Mo.) WESTMINS 20-20
8
Winner Webster WEBSTER 34-7
Westminster (Mo.) WESTMINS
20-20
4
Final
8
Webster WEBSTER
34-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Westminster (Mo.) WESTMINS 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 4 11 1
Webster WEBSTER 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 X 8 12 0

W: McBride, Cullen (2-0) L: C. Schweppe (1-9)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Kyle Jones

No. 14 Gorloks Ground Blue Jays 8-4 In SLIAC Semifinals

O'FALLON, Mo. - The top-seed Webster University baseball team opened postseason play at the 2025 SLIAC Baseball Tournament with a seminfinals game against fourth-seeded Westminster College Thursday afternoon at CarShield Field. The Gorloks scored two quick runs in the first inning and rallied with four runs in the seventh inning and two runs in the eighth inning that defeated the Blue Jays by the score of 8-4. With the victory, Webster improves to 34-7 overall and advances to play Spalding University.

Senior starting pitcher J.T Miller earned his seventh start of the season and opened the game with two quick outs that included a strikeout. With two outs, Westminster took the early 1-0 lead on back-to-back doubles. In the bottom of the first, Karl Peters got the Gorloks started with a leadoff double to left and advanced to third on a bunt single by James Theodore. Following a stolen base by Theodore, Evan Evola tied the game at 1-1 with a sacrifice fly that scored Peters. With one out and a runner in scoring position, R.J. LaRocco put the Gorloks on top at 2-1 with an RBI single up the middle that scored Theodore. 

In the top of the second, Miller sent down the Blue Jays in order that included back-to-back strikeouts and a popup to Jacob Charlson at second. In the top of the third, Miller increased his strikeout total to five with a pair of strikeouts that led to his second scoreless inning of work. In the top of the fourth, Miller earned his third consecutive shutout inning with an inning-ending strikeout. In the fifth, Miller secured his fourth straight scoreless inning that included a popup to Dalton Groves behind the plate and back-to-back strikeouts.    

In the top of the sixth, Westminster's Keli'i Price tied the game at 2-2 with a solo homer. In the bottom half, Evola led off the side with a double to right field as LaRocco moved him to third. The Gorloks scoring opportunity came short as the game remained tied at 2-2. 

In the top of the seventh, Miller recorded a foul out to Evola at first and issued a walk that ended his outing. Following a pitching change to reliever Cullen McBride, the Blue Jays strung together consecutive hits that took the 3-2 lead. In the bottom half, Ben Stedman and Groves got the inning started with back-to-back singles that forced a Westminster pitching change to Kaleb Hinkle-Pruett. Following the pitching change, Charlson laid down a bunt when Hinkle-Pruett made an errant throw to third that allowed all runners to be safe. With the bases loaded, Peters tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI single that scored Stedman. With the bases still juiced, Theodore put the Gorloks back on top at 6-3 with a bases-clearing double that scored Groves, Charlson, and Peters. 

In the top of the eighth, McBride sent the Blue Jays lead off hitter for the inning down on strikes for his first strikeout of the game. McBride recorded two flyouts that kept Westminster off the scoreboard. In the bottom half, Groves got the inning started with a two-out single and advanced to third on a single by Charlson. With runners on the corners, Peters stretched the Gorlok lead to 7-4 with an RBI infield single that scored Groves. Following a walk drawn by Theodore that loaded the bases, Westminster made a pitching chance to TJ Grassl. With the bases loaded, Grassl plunked Evola in the back that allowed Charlson to score that made the score 8-3. 

In the top of the ninth, WC's Domenic Nordmann led off the inning with a double to left. Moments later, McBride recorded back-to-back outs which included a flyout and groundout. With two outs, the Blue Jays scored their final run of the game on a RBI single by Sam Alles that generated the final score. 

For the game, Thedore went 2-for-4 with a bases-clearing double and three RBI's while Peters and Evola drove in two RBI's each. On the mound, Miller pitched six and one-third innings and recorded eight strikeouts while McBride closed out the final two and two-thirds innings and was credited for the win. 

The Gorloks will continue postseason play at this tournament tomorrow, May 9 with a decision against Spalding University starting at 2:30PM in O'Fallon, Missouri. The winner of this game will secure a spot in the 2025 SLIAC Baseball Tournament Championship game.
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