Gorloks Eliminated from World Series by Defending Champs

Appleton, Wis. - The Webster University baseball team was eliminated from the NCAA III World Series with a 12-7 loss to Marietta College (OH), on May 28, at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, WI. Webster took Marietta (45-8), the #1 ranked team nationally in the NCAA III, to task early, building up a 7-2 lead with a seven-run fourth, but Marietta responded with ten unanswered runs to eliminate the Gorloks.

Starter Cody Hafeli (JR, Kankakee CC, IL) gave way to Steven Dooley (JR, Florissant Valley CC, MO) after hitting a batter to lead off the bottom of the fourth. The Pioneers scored two runs on sacrifice flies to cut the lead to 7-4 before things turned ugly. Two doubles, a walk, hit batsman, and a single later, Marietta led 8-7. Marietta scored two insurance runs in the sixth and eighth, to give them a 12-7 lead.

The Gorloks took a five-run lead over the 2011 NCAA champs in the fourth. Shortstop Taylor Stoulp (SO, St. Mary's HS, MO), arguably the most valuable player in the 2012 NCAA III post-season to date, led off with a triple. An error and three singles later, Webster had plated three runs.

Second baseman Kevin Kojs (SO, Lincoln Way HS, IL), had his ninth consecutive hit in the Series to load the bases. Charlie Gandolfi (FR, Mundelein HS, IL) drove in two more with a single before Stoulp drove in a run with his second hit of the inning. Alex Kazmierski (JR, Triton CC, IL) was hit by a pitch to force in the seventh run of the inning.

In addition to the nine-hit streak in the series, Kojs was 9-12, with three RBIs and a run scored. Kojs was 14-25 (.560) during the post-season. He partner up the middle, Stoulp, wound up 10-15 in the Series, with five RBIs, three runs, two doubles and a triple. Overall in the post-season, Stoulp was 20-33 (.606). Together, they were an astounding 34-58 (.586) in the Regional and World Series combined.

The game was marred by an injury to OF Cody Stevenson (JR, Centralia HS, iL), who went down after a collision with the center field fence.

Stevenson, the 2012 NCAA III leader with 59 stolen bases, was removed by stretcher and the extent of his injury was unknown.

The Gorloks completed an outstanding season that saw them win the SLIAC title for a sixth straight time, win the SLIAC Tournament, win the NCAA Millington Regional, and make their first-ever Series. The Gorloks wound up 36-14 on the season, setting a Webster record for most wins in a season.

Courtesy Webster University sports information