The #24 ranked Webster University baseball team won its first round game in the NCAA III Waterloo Regional (IA) on May 13, downing Carthage College (WI), 4-3, as Charlie Gandolfi (SR, Mundelein, IL/Mundelein HS) had a walk-off RBI on a bases-loaded walk.
 
Webster advances in the winner's bracket and will face the winner of the Anderson University (IN)/host Wartburg College contest at 7:00 p.m. on May 14.
 
After Carthage had scored two runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game, 3-3, Kyle Uhrich (SO, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves HS) had an infield single to lead off Webster's half of the inning.  With one out, pinch hitter Ryan Fischer (JR, Manchester, MO/Parkway South HS) reached on an E6.
 
Adam Naliwajko (SO, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator HS) singled to center but pinch runner Jake Celleghin (JR, Westfield, IN/Westfield HS) was gunned out at the plate for the second out.  Matt Wollnik (SO, Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley HS) followed with an infield single to load the bases.
 
Gandolfi worked the count full before walking in the winning run to advance the Gorloks.
 
Dylan Dean Smith (SR, Albion, IL/Edwards County HS) earned the victory by ending a Red Men threat after they had tied the score in the top of the ninth.  Smith took one pitch to coax a pop out to catcher Naliwajko.
 
The Red Men had rallied in the ninth after an infield single and Webster starter Josh Fleming's (FR, Columbia, IL/Columbia HS) first walk of the game put runners at first and second with one down.  After a fly out, back to back singles tied the game at 3-3, and Smith got the call out of the bullpen.
 
Smith went one third of an inning, and improved to 7-3.  Smith, who has allowed only three earned runs in 35 1/3 innings on the season, lowered his earned run average to 0.76.  Fleming, the SLIAC Newcomer of the Year, gave up eight hits and a walk, three runs, and struck out four in eight and two-third innings.   
 
Errors cost Carthage as all four of Webster's runs on the afternoon were unearned.
 
In the second, the Gorloks took a 2-0 lead as Naliwajko singled and Gandolfi reached on an E4.  A groundout moved the runners over before an Alec Bahnick (SO, Owensboro, KY/Owensboro Catholic HS) single scored Naliwajko and Gandolfi.
 
In Webster's fifth, Naliwajko and Wollnik singled with one down.  Mike Golich (FR, Aurora, IL/West Aurora HS) reached on an E4 with two down, Naliwajko scoring and Wollnik taking third and Golich second.  Bahnick was caught looking to end the threat, but the Gorloks led 3-0.
 
Carthage had a leadoff double in the sixth, but after a fly out to Gandolfi, his throw to third nabbed the Red Men runner for a double play.  Carthage had a leadoff double also in the seventh, but this one cost Fleming as a two-out single for the Red Men broke the shutout as Webster led, 3-1.
 
Naliwajko was 3-4 with two runs scored for the Gorloks and Bahnick was 1-4 with two RBIs.  Uhrich and Wollnik were 2-4 in the game.
 
Fellow SLIAC member, Greenville College fell in first round action, 7-4, to #1 seed Wisconsin-Stevens Point.  They will face Carthage in the elimination bracket.
 
Webster is 31-13 with the win.