Box Score The Webster University baseball team pulled off the enviable feat of not only winning its fifth straight game, but knocking off four top 25 teams in the process. The Gorloks' latest victim was #24 Eastern Connecticut State University, who they defeated 12-3 on March 13, at Auburndale, FL, to wind up their spring break trip.
After Webster dropped out of the d3baseball.com top 25 this week, it proceeded to beat #10 Wisconsin-Stevens Point, #14 Rhodes College, and #16 Marietta College, in addition to Eastern Connecticut, in a five-day span. Sandwiched in between was an 11-1 defeat of Waynesburg University (PA).
Freshman Josh Fleming (Columbia, IL/Columbia HS) got the start and went 5 2/3 innings, giving up six hits, two walks, and two earned runs, while striking out nine for his first collegiate win. Fleming has struck out 19 in 15 innings pitched this season.
The Gorloks jumped on the Warriors in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. Alec Bahnick (SO, Owensboro, KY/Owensboro Catholic HS) walked and stole second, taking third on an error. He scored on a groundout by Charlie Gandolfi (SR, Mundelein, IL/Mundelein HS).
Blake Thomas (JR, Troy, IL/Triad HS) and Kyle Uhrich (SO, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves HS) hit back to back doubles, scoring Thomas. Connor Hogan (SO, New Lenox, IL/Lincoln Way West HS) tripled in Uhrich, then scored on a passed ball for the Gorloks' fourth run.
After Eastern Connecticut scored a run in the top of the fourth, the Gorloks plated five more runs in the bottom half. Zach Allam JR, Bloomington, IN/Edgewood HS) and Matt Wollnik (SO, Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley HS) singled, and Mike Golich (FR, Aurora, IL/West Aurora HS) reached on an error, with Allam scoring.
Bahnick singled in Wollnik, and a bunt for an out by Gandolfi scored Golich. Thomas doubled in Bahnick and, with two outs, Jeff Kammer (SR, Chesterfield, MO/Lafayette HS) singled in Thomas to make it 9-1 Webster.
An error on the Gorloks, a single, and a triple scored two for the Warriors in the sixth, sending Fleming to the showers. Isaac Behme (SR, Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg HS) relieved and got the third out as Webster led, 9-3.
The Gorloks picked up two more in the seventh, on a Dylan Rajkovich (JR, Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg HS) two-run pinch hit single. In the eighth, Webster scored its final run after Mike Wick (FR, Bartlett, IL/Bartlett HS) and pinch runner Jake Celleghin (JR, Westfield, IN/Westfield HS) pulled a double steal and Wick scored on a Uhrich sac fly to make it 12-3.
Uhrich moved to the mound in the seventh inning, relieving Behme, to make his Webster pitching debut. Urich went 2 1/3 scoreless innings, walking two and striking out one. Behme went one scoreless inning.
Webster had 14 hits for the game, the fifth time in the last six games they have had 10 or more. Thomas was 3-4, with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. He is now batting .378 on the season. Uhrich was 2-4, with a double, RBI, two runs scored, and is batting .368 for the year.
Kammer was 3-5, with a double, RBI and run scored as his averaged jumped to .342. Bahnick was 1-3, with an RBI, stolen base, walk, and run scored.
The Gorloks host the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh on March 18 at GCS Ballpark for its first home game of the season. Webster opens play in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a weekend series vs. Iowa Wesleyan College on March 21-22. The Gorloks will also play a single game vs. Illinois Wesleyan Univesity on March 22 at GCS.
