SLIAC Game of the Week - Central Region Showdown

Webster University faces a large Central Region showdown this weekend as they will face perennial regional challengers Illinois Wesleyan College and Washington University (Mo.).

A Glance at the Games
This weekend pits three yearly Central Region powers against each other in Webster University, Illinois Wesleyan College and Washington University (Mo.). All three teams were listed in the 2014 D3Baseball.com Preseason poll, with Webster being ranked #8 and both Illinois Wesleyan and Washington University receiving votes. The trio of teams will all face each other this weekend with Webster facing Washington University on Friday in a single game and Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday in a single game. Illinois Wesleyan and Washington University meanwhile will square off in a three game series this weekend.

About Webster
Webster is currently 5-2 on the season and ranked #6 in the latest poll. The Gorloks are coming off a spring break trip which saw them play seven games in eight days. They are hitting .312 as a team and averaging 6.9 runs per game. Ryan Hall leads the team with a .462 batting average including a .692 slugging percentage. The Gorlok offense has spread the wealth around as five different Gorloks have at least five runs batted in this season. On the mound the Gorlok pitching staff has been impressive, holding a 3.52 earned-run average. Dylan Dean Smith leads the team with 14.1 innings pitched with a 2.51 earned-run average and nine strikeouts. Chris Jansen has logged 12 innings, with seven strikeouts and a 3.00 earned-run average. The Gorlok pitchers are holding their opponents to just a .285 batting average this season.

About Illinois Wesleyan
Illinois Wesleyan is currently 3-5 on the year, having dropped their last five games. They will face Wabash College on Thursday before this weekend's contests. The Titans are hitting .281 as a team and averaging 10.0 runs per game. Bobby Czarnowski leads the team with a .379 batting average while Jon Frericks is hitting .286 with two home runs and 10 runs batted in. The Titan pitching staff currently holds a 3.60 earned-run average, limiting opponents to a .262 batting average this season. Jeff Johnson is the lone Titan pitcher to log double digit innings so far, throwing 11 innings with a 2.45 earned-run average and 11 strikeouts.

About Washington University
Washington University is currently 5-7 on the season. They have gone through a pair of extended losing streaks, dropping four games early on and most recently falling in three straight. However the Bears are coming off back to back wins including a 4-3 win over #24 ranked Case Western Reserve. They will face Millikin University on Thursday before taking the field against Webster. The Bears are hitting .265 as a team and averaging 4.9 runs scored per game. Offensively they are led by Max Golembo and Zack Kessinger who are each hitting .375 on the season. Golembo leads the team with nine runs scored and has four stolen bases while Kessinger is tied for the team lead with 11 runs batted in. On the mound the Bears have a 4.67 team earned-run average, with opponents hitting .294 on the year. Stephen Bonser has made a team high three starts, with one complete game, while throwing 23 innings and holding a 1.57 earned-run average.