marah
13
Winner Ozarks (Ark.) OZARKS ( 1-0
1
Webster WEBSTER
Winner
Ozarks (Ark.) OZARKS (
1-0
13
Final
1
Webster WEBSTER
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Ozarks (Ark.) OZARKS ( 8 2 0 3 0 13 10 1
Webster WEBSTER 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 0

W: B. Cowell (1-0) L: Rodriguez, Adriana (0-1)

3
Webster WEBSTER 0-1
4
Winner Rhodes RHODES 3-0
Webster WEBSTER
0-1
3
Final
4
Rhodes RHODES
3-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Webster WEBSTER 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 3 6 0
Rhodes RHODES 0 2 1 0 0 1 X 4 11 1

W: A. Froelich (2-0) L: Rushman, Kailey (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball | | Kyle Jones

Gorloks Softball Fall Twice On Opening Day

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Webster University softball team opened the 2026 season with two games on Saturday. The Gorloks dropped the season opener to the University of the Ozarks by the score of 1-13 and fell to the host, Rhodes College by the score of 3-4. 

Game 1: Webster 1, University of the Ozarks 13
Ozarks capitalized on a big first inning as Natalie Puentes got out the inning with a strikeout. In the bottom half, first-year Kacey Ekstrom recorded her first collegiate hit with a double down the left line. However, she was left stranded. 

In the top of the second, Puentes struck out the first batter she faced. Shortly later, the Eagles added two runs on two hits. In the bottom frame, Ainsley Hinz led off the inning with a walk when Lili Work followed up and reached base on an error that moved Hinz to second. With two outs, the Gorloks loaded the bases on a walk drawn by Aurora Lomheim but did not scratch a run. 

In the third, Puentes recorded a scoreless inning with two groundouts and a flyout. In the bottom half, Ekstrom led off with a double to left and advanced to third on a single by Madi Stichling. Two batters later, Ekstrom put Webster on the board as she scored on a wild pitch. 

In the fourth, Ozarks added three runs on two hits. In the bottom half, Ekstrom recorded a two-out single to left and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but was left stranded. In the bottom of the fifth, Ekstrom led off the side with a single to center for her third hit of the game but was out at second on a fielder's choice. The Eagles recorded the final two outs of the inning which ended the game. 

For the game, Ekstrom went 3-for-3 and scored the only run of the game while Stichling, Marah Schotz, and Lomheim recorded a hit each. In the circle, Adriana Rodriguez and Puentes combined to work through traffic against an aggressive Ozarks lineup. Puentes recorded three strikeouts in 4.2 innings of relief.

Game 2: Webster 3, Rhodes 4
First-year pitcher Kailey Rushman got the start in the circle and recorded a scoreless inning with weak contacts in the infield. In the bottom of the second, Rushman got in a jam as Rhodes recorded three hits and scored two runs for the 0-2 deficit. In the third, the Lynx loaded the bases and scored a run on an infield single to short that pushed the score to 0-3. 

In the top of the fourth, Vanessa Saenz led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on an error by RC's centerfielder, and later reached third. With one out, Brystol Klossner drew a walk and advanced to second on a single by Olivia Hartupee. With the bases loaded and two outs, first-year Sophie Errante ripped a two-run double to center that scored Klossner and Hartupee that made the score 3-2. In the bottom half, Rushman recorded a scoreless inning with a groundout, a popout, and a flyout. 

In the top of the fifth, first-year Isabelle Loiben got the inning started with a one-out single to center. Moments later, fellow first-year Emma Lanz ripped a single to center that scored Loiben and tied the game at three apiece. In the bottom half, Rushman worked out of a two-hit inning which kept the game tied. 

In the top of the sixth, Addison Penn got the inning started with a two-out single to right and advanced to second on a walk drawn by Errante. However, the Gorloks did not scratch a run. In the bottom half, Webster made a pitching change and entered in Stichling as she recorded two quick flyouts. Moments later, Rhodes recorded a single and that base runner stole second and advanced to third. With two outs, Rhodes recorded a single to left and scored a run that made the score 3-4. The Gorloks had their final at-bats in the seventh but went down in order that ended the game. 

For the game, Errante went 1-for-2 and drove in two RBI's while Lanz went 1-for-4 with one RBI. Loiben went 1-for-4 and scored once. In the circle, Rushman pitched five innings and allowed three earned runs while Stichling pitched one inning and recorded one strikeout.

The Gorloks will open a 10-game homestand on Friday, February 20th with a doubleheader against Wartburg College starting at 2:00PM at Eureka Sports Complex in Eureka, Missouri. 
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