Webster's Uhrich Goes Deep Three Times
The Webster University baseball team extended its winning streak to seven games, overpowering Principia College, 12-4 and 13-6, on April 22 at GCS Ballpark. Kyle Uhrich tied a Webster single game record with three home runs and Mike Wick went deep twice as the Gorlok offense unloaded on the Panthers.
Uhrich (JR, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves HS) homered in his first three at bats in the game two 13-6 win. He tied a record last accomplished by Cody Stevenson in April, 2010, against Eureka College. Ironically, Stevenson was known for his speed, holding the Webster records for stolen bases in a game, season, and career. Mike Wick (SO, Bartlett, IL/Bartlett HS) had two homers in the twinbill as the Gorloks had six total on the evening.
The Gorloks' 12-4 win in game one started out ominously as the Panthers reached starter Josh Fleming (SO, Columbia, IL/Columbia HS) for two runs in the first but Webster struck for four in the second. Adam Naliwajko (SO, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator HS) reached on an E6 and Mike Golich (SO, Aurora, IL/West Aurora HS) singled, Wick followed with a three-run homer on the right field grass porch. Brandon Smith (JR, Imperial, MO/Seckman HS) doubled and Uhrich singled him home to make it, 4-2.
Principia scored a run in the top of the third but once again Webster rallied. With one out in the third, Jake Milosch (FR, St. Charles, IL/St. Charles East HS) walked and Naliwajko singled. Matt Wollnik (JR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley HS) doubled in a run and an E6 allowed Naliwajko to score also while Wollnik took third. Wollnik scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-3. Golich walked and took second on a wild pitch and Wick singled him home. Wick stole second and scored from there on a ground out by Brandon Smith to make it 9-3.
The Gorloks had a single run in the fourth and added two more in the fifth, courtesy of RBI singles by Austin LaHue (FR, Stillwater, OK/Stillwater HS) and Blake Thomas (SR, Troy, IL/Triad HS) to take a 12-3 lead. The Panthers added one more run in the seventh for the 12-4 final.
Fleming went five innings for the win. He gave up seven hits and three runs, while striking out nine, to go 2-0. Johnny Lord (JR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley HS) threw a scoreless inning and Mitch Stefani (SR, Aurora, IL/Waubonsie Valley HS) gave up a run in an inning of work while striking out three.
Wick did it all for the Gorloks. He was 3-4 with a home run and double, four RBIs, three runs, two stolen bases, and a walk. Smith was 1-2 with a double, RBI, stolen base, and run scored. Thomas was 2-4 with a triple, RBI, and run scored.
The Panthers jumped on Webster in the first again in game two, scoring four runs off starter Trey Tigart (JR, Sikeston, MO/Sikeston HS). Once again, the Gorloks responded. Wick led off the Webster half of the first with a solo blast, again on the right field grass porch. Smith had a bunt single and Uhrich followed with an opposite field two-run homer, landing on the right field porch as well. It was Uhrich's team-leading seventh of the season and cut the deficit to 4-3.
Uhrich hit his second straight home run in the third, clearng the wall in dead center field, and tied the game at 4-4. Webster manufactured a run in the fourth and Principia tied it back up in the top of the sixth, but the Gorloks erupted for seven runs in their half.
Milosch walked and Dylan Rajkovich (SR, Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg HS) doubled. Wollnik hit a sac fly to score Milosch but with two down, Wick singled, Smith walked, and Uhrich unloaded home run #3, this one a three-run shot. Thomas reached on an error and Jeff Kammer (SR, Chesterfield, MO/Lafayette HS) joined the home run parade with a two-run drive. The Gorloks led 12-5. Webster finished up its scoring after Wollnik doubled in the seventh, Golich singled him to third, and Wollnik scored on a fly by Wick, puttng the Gorloks up 13-5.
Principia had scored a run in the eighth and back to back hit batters by Webster pitcher Zack Alexander (SO, Geneoso, IL/Geneoso HS) had the bases loaded. Alexander got out of the jam without any further damage when a slick 6-4-3 double play by Wollnik and Golich ended the inning. Webster led 13-6.
Johnny Lord (JR, Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley HS) went four innings of relief of starter Trey Tigart (JR, Sikeston, MO/Sikeston HS) and picked up the win. Lord gave up two hits, a walk, and a run, while striking out three. He is now 4-2 on the season. Alexander went two innings and gave up two hits and a run, and Stefani finished up with a scoreless ninth, striking out two. Tigart gave up three hits and four run, walking three in his two innings of work.
Uhrich was 3-5, with three home runs and five RBIs. The leading home run hitter in the NCAA III in 2015 with 17, Uhrich now has nine on the year. Uhrich has 26 home runs at Webster and has moved up to second on the Gorloks' career list behind leader Andrew Fuiten with 27. Wick was 2-5 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Wick finished the day 5-9 with two home runs, six RBIs, five runs, three stolens bases and a double. He is batting .385 on the season.
Smith was 2-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, an reached on a walk and a hit by pitch. Wollnik was 2-2 with two doubles, two runs, a stolen base and a walk. Kammer was 1-4 with a home run, two RBIs, a stolen base and a walk.
Webster improved to 14-4 in the SLIAC and 21-12 overall. The Gorloks have a game at Washington University on April 26, before returing to GCS for its final regular season home games vs. Spalding University (KY) on April 29.
STORY COURTESY OF WEBSTER UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE
