J.T. Miller, Joey Marko, and Ben Kowalski combined to toss the second no-hitter for Websater on Friday. Webster athletics photo

EUREKA, Ill. - Webster University Baseball made history here Friday afternoon as the No. 3/No. 6 ranked Gorloks tossed back-to-back no-hitters in earning a doubleheader sweep over Eureka College in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action at Henry Sand Field.

Fifth-year senior Matt Mulhearn (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) got the doubleheader started by facing just three batters over the minimum as he walked one and struck out a school record 17 in his no-hitter in Webster's 11-0 win in the first game that was halted after seven innings due to the 10-run mercy rule, while freshman J.T. Miller (Centennial, Colo./Regis Jesuit), third-year sophomore Joey Marko (Winfield, Mo./Winfield) and junior Ben Kowalski (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa Township) all combined to toss a second straight no-hitter in the nightcap of Webster's 12-0 that ended after seven innings.

It marks the first time in Webster's 33-yeat baseball history that the Gorloks have thrown back-to-back no-hitters in each game of a doubleheader. In addition, it marked the third and fourth no-hitters in school history and the first no-hitter since Dylan Dean Smith tossed a nine inning no-hitter in a 9-0 win against MacMurray in Carlinville, lll., on April 13, 2013. The first no-hitter in school history came on May 5, 2006 as Taylor Nahm tossed a five inning no-hitter in a 13-0 win against Lincoln Christian.

In Friday's opener, the Gorloks offense gave Mulhearn a ton of support as they recorded 14 hits and scored runs in each of the first five innings, including tallying four runs in both the second and fourth innings.

While its offense was strong, Mulhearn was the star of the first game as he allowed just three bases runners the entire game and struck out side four times and only one base runner, Jimmy Peterson, would reach third base in the game as Peterson reached on an error by fourth-year junior All-American third baseman Ben Swords (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) in the bottom of the first and after Mulhearn hit Alex Barney with a pitch to put two runners on base, Peterson would advance to third when Kyle Christman grounded into a fielder's choice grounder. Peterson, though, would remain at third as Mulhearn retired the next Eureka hitters in order, including recording his first strikeout on Braden Cross, who struck out twice in the game.

In the game, Mulhearn struck out every single Eureka hitter at least once, including striking six hitters twice and Tate Stone three times to improve his record to 6-0 on the season.

The 17 strikeouts bettered the old school record of 16 which was set during the 2017 season by both Brandon Smith, who struck 16 against Principia on April 18 and Kyle Uhrich tallied 16 strikeouts against Westminster on April 28. The 17 strikeouts are also tied for second-most in a game in SLIAC history and was one short of tying Spalding's Jimi Keating's record of 18 strikeouts in 2018.

With the no-hitter and shutout, Mulhearn lowered his season ERA to 0.86 as he has now allowed just four earned run in 42 innings and has had 66 strikeouts and walked just four. With his 17 strikeouts, Mulhearn pushed his career strikeout total of 293 and his victory, which was the 28th of his career, which is just two short Isaac Behme's school record 30 career wins. Mulhearn has now struck out nine or more batters in five of his six starts, including three games of double-digit strikeouts.

Webster got on the scoreboard in the top of the first thanks to an RBI single by fifth-year senior All-American first baseman Kyler Kent (Pottsboro, Texas/Pottsboro), which plated freshman catcher R.J. LaRocco (San Diego, Calif./Point Loma), who had reached on a one-out single and stole second before Kent's hit.

The Gorloks lead grew to 5-0 on the top of the second inning thanks an RBI double by fourth-year shortstop Matt Staker (El Cajon, Calif./Saint Augustine), a sacrifice fly off the bat of fourth-year junior rightfielder Adam Lovell (Lafayette, Ind./Saint Joseph's College) and then LaRocco completed the scoring with a 2-run homer off of Eureka starting pitcher Ryan Bredeson.

Webster's lead grew to 6-0 in the third as they used two singles and two walks with that second walk that was issued to Lovell coming with the bases loaded to plate a run.

The Gorloks added four more runs in the fourth to take a 10-0 lead with the big hit being a 3-run homer by second-year freshman leftfielder Landon Vahle (Lee's Summit, Mo./St. Michael Archangel). The homer was the first of Vahles' collegiate career.

Webster completed the scoring in the top of the fifth as second-year freshman Dylan Coleman (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame College Prep) delivered a pinch-hit RBI single that plated third-year sophomore catcher Austin Jisa (Lincoln, Neb./Southeast), who pinch hit for LaRocco and reached on an error by Tate.

Mulhearn would then strike out nine of the final 10 hitters he faced as he walked his only hitter, Barney, in the sixth inning.

LaRocco, Vahle, fifth-year senior centerfielder Aron Hopp (LIncoln, Ill./Lincoln College) and third-year sophomore catcher Zach Goodman (Greenwood Village, Colo./Arapahoe) each had two hits, while Vahle and LaRocco each scored two runs in the win.

Matt Mulhearn struck out a school record 17 and tossed the third no-hitter in school history to help the Gorloks to an 11-0 win over Eureka in the first game of Friday's doubleheader. Webster athletics photo

Bredeson (0-1) took the loss on the mound for the Red Devils as he allowed 14 hits and 11 runs (9 earned runs), while walking four and striking out seven.

The Gorloks also left nine runners on bases, committed an error and stole three bases, including two by Vahle.

Eureka had two errors and left three runners on base.

Meanwhile, in the nightcap, it took three Gorlok pitchers to record the first back-to-back no-hitter in program history as Miller pitched into the fifth inning and walked two, while striking out five. Marko would replace Miller with one out in the fifth and retire all four batters he faced, including striking out the final batter he faced and Kowalski would pitch a perfect seven as he also had a strikeout.

Miller, who improved to 2-1 on the year with the win, got all the offensive support he would need in the top of the first as the Gorloks sent all nine hitters to plate and scored four runs on two hits, a hit batsman, two walks and a wild pitch. The hits in the inning were a 2-run single by third-year sophomore second baseman Mitch Daniels (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) and a 2-run double by Goodman.

The Gorloks would put the game out of reach in the fifth as they scored seven runs on four hits and three walks, including two bases loaded walks to push its lead to 11-0. The big hit in the inning was a 3-run double by Lovell, while fifth-year senior designated hitter A.J. Smith (DuQuoin, Ill./DuQuoin) added a 2-run single.

Webster would complete the scoring in the top of the sixth thanks to a solo home run off the bat of freshman first baseman Blake Miles (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock).

In the nightcap, Webster's offense collected 10 hits as Lovell, Swords and Kent each had two hits, while those three combined for six runs in the win.

The Gorloks left seven runners on base, while Eureka left five on base and turned three double plays.

Parker Brodine (0-2) took the loss on the mound for Eureka as he pitched 4.1 innings and allowed seven hits and 10 runs, while walking seven and striking out three.

The two teams will conclude the four-game SLIAC series with another doubleheader on Saturday, April 3 beginning at 12 p.m.