Spalding Sweeps Webster in Game of the Week

The Spalding baseball team opened their 2019 SLIAC conference schedule with a bang, sweeping a doubleheader from the #6/12 ranked Webster Gorloks, 9-3 and 6-5, Wednesday evening at Derby City Field. This marks the Golden Eagles fourth win this season over a unanimous top-15 team, earning wins over #4 Concordia-Chicago and #15 UW-Whitewater.
 
THE BASICS
LOCATION: Derby City Field | Louisville, Ky.
RECORDS: Spalding 12-6 | Webster 10-6
 
GAME ONE
SPALDING 9 – WEBSTER 3
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a two-run lead behind a Quenton Brownlee solo home run and a Bryce Spalding RBI double in the bottom of the second. The Gorloks took a run back in the top of the third, but SU answered with a four-run home half of the inning. Eric Meyer reached on a walk and moved to third on a pair of passed balls before coming home on a wild pitch. Dillon Sievert, who also got the start on the mound, reached on a walk and Zane Baker cleared the bases with a three-run homer to left field. The Golden Eagles added two more runs in the fourth, Bryce Spalding led off the inning with a solo homer to left center and Meyer doubled down the left field line bringing Mitchell Langley around from first to score. Spalding extended the lead to eight runs in the fifth inning on a Garrett Wilson single through the right side scoring Cody Milliner. The Gorloks Talon Parke hit a two-run homer to cut the SU lead to six runs, but Sievert and the Golden Eagles defense kept them at bay to earn the 9-3 victory.
 
NOTABLE STATS
Zane Baker and Bryce Spalding led the Golden Eagles at the plate, each going 2-for-3. Baker drove in a team-high three RBIs, while Spalding drove in two runs. Dillon Sievert (2-0) picked up his second with of the season limiting the Gorloks to three runs, on nine hits, while striking out seven in a seven-inning complete game effort.
 
GAME TWO 
SPALDING 6 – WEBSTER 5
Similar to game one, the Golden Eagles took a two-run lead into the third inning after a pair of early runs. The first coming in the bottom of the first on an Eric Meyer single through the left side following a leadoff triple from Garrett Wilson. In the second inning, it was Wilson again, this time driving in Cody Milliner from third with a single up the middle. In the top of the third, Webster's A.J. Smith grounded out to short scoring Aron Hopp to get the Gorloks on the scoreboard, but SU answered in the bottom of the inning scoring on a Zane Baker fielder's choice that brought Meyer home from third. After a scoreless fourth and fifth, Spalding extended their lead to three runs on a Wilson double down the left field line that scored Milliner from first. The Gorloks scored three runs in the top of the seventh to tie it, 4-4, but again, the Golden Eagles answered in the bottom of the inning. Meyer reached on a leadoff walk, moved to third on Quenton Brownlee single to right center and scored on a Harol Matos groundout to short. The Gorloks were not going out without a fight. Talon Parke walked to lead off the top of the eighth, then moved around the bases to third on a pair of bunts and scored on a Matt Staker groundout to short. Nevertheless, the Golden Eagles countered in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs and no one on, Wilson bounced a ball just between the outreached gloves of Webster's Ben Swords and Matt Staker leaking the ball into shallow left center. The speedy Wilson raced around first and slid safely into second to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Evan Trentman stepped to the plate and hit a 1-1 pitch through the right side allowing Wilson to race around the bases to put SU back in front, 6-5. The Gorloks threatened in the top of the ninth putting runners on first and second with one out. Following a Danny Strohm fly-out to left, Kellen Quigley bounced a 2-2 pitch into the infield pulling Bryce Spalding off first to field the ball. Pitcher Hayden Davenport raced off the mound towards first just in time to receive the throw from Spalding to tag Quigley on the elbow in a bang-bang play to get the final out canceling what would have been the game-tying run as Swords was flying down the third baseline into home.  
 
NOTABLE STATS
Garrett Wilson had an outstanding day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a triple, two doubles while driving in two RBIs and scoring two runs. Eric Meyer and Cody Milliner each went 3-for-4 with a double, and two runs scored. Quenton Brownlee also had a multi-hit game going 2-for-4. Zach Jones (3-0) came on with a runner on in the top of the eighth and held the Gorloks scoreless, on one hit, while striking out one batter to earn the win. Davenport earned the save preserving the one-run lead while holding Webster to one hit in the top of the ninth.

STORY COURTESY OF SPALDING UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION