Gorloks Advance to Regional Championship Game

MOLINE, Ill. - The Webster University baseball team advanced to the NCAA III Augustana/Central Regional Championship game with an 8-2 win over Concordia University-Chicago, on May 17 at Moline, Ill. Webster will be bidding to win its second straight regional title and trip to the NCAA
III World Series.

The loss was the first for Concordia (38-6) in the regional and the Cougars will meet host Augustana College on May 18 at 12:00 p.m., with the winner to face the Gorloks (35-10) for the championship. Webster won its first regional ever at Millington, TN, in 2012, gaining a berth in the World Series and finishing fifth.

The Gorloks took a 2-0 lead in the second when Mike Rainbolt reached on a bunt single, Alex Kazmierski singled, and Ian Foege delivered a two-out, two-run single. Concordia scored an unearned run off starter Dylan Dean Smith in bottom of the inning but Webster got that run back in the top of the third. Cody Stevenson singled to lead off the inning and wound up scoring on a sac fly by Rainbolt to make it 3-1 Webster.

Smith went four innings, being relieved by Ryan Martinez after walking the lead off batter in the fifth. Martinez retired the next three batters. Martinez pitched five shutout innings the rest of the way, allowing two hits and a walk, and striking out one in earning the win. He is 3-0 on the season. Smith allowed four hits and one earned run, while walking two and striking out four.

The Cougars picked up a run in their half of the third, but a Stevenson double to start the fifth, a Corey Lasky sacrifice bunt, and a Taylor Stoulp sac fly, put Webster up 4-2. Stoulp's drive looked like it may get out before being caught at the base of the right field fence.

Webster added two runs in the eighth, when Rainbolt walked, Kazmierski doubled him home and a Bonds single scored Kazmierski, to make it 6-2. The Gorloks put the game out of reach with two more in the ninth. Ryan Hall and Stevenson both singled to start the inning, Lasky bunted them over, and Stoulp singled them both home.

Kazmierski was two for five, with two stolen bases, two runs scored, and an RBI. Stevenson was three for five, with three runs scored and a double. Foege was two for four with two RBIs and Stoulp one for two with three RBIs and two sacrifice hits.

The Gorloks will play at 3:30 p.m. for the championship on the 18th.

Courtesy Webster University sports information