The #4 ranked Webster University baseball team ran its winning streak to eight with a doubleheader win at Blackburn College, 9-1 & 2-0, on April 1. Starters Isaac Behme and C.J. Lee pitched five and six shutout innings, respectively, in their outings, as they both picked up wins.
In game one, Behme (JR, Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg HS) went five innings, allowing two hits and a walk, while striking out three. He won his second game in a row and has pitched 15 straight shutout innings. After a rough start to the season, Behme is 2-0 and has lowered his ERA from 8.40 to 4.20.
A six-run Webster third inning gave the Gorloks all the offense they needed. Already leading 1-0, Matt Wollnik (FR, Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley HS) singled and Corey Lasky (SR, Vernon Hills, IL/Adlai E Stevenson HS) doubled. A Charlie Gandolfi (JR, Mundelein, IL/Mundelein HS) single scored Wollnik.
The Gorloks pulled off a double steal as Gandolfi stole second and Lasky scampered home, Gandolfi taking third on an error on the Beaver catcher. Taylor Stoulp (SR, St. Louis, MO/St. Mary's HS) walked and a Joe Winckel (SR, Bonne Terre, MO/North County HS) sac fly scored Gandolfi, making it 4-0.
After a Kevin Kojs (SR, New Lenox, IL/Lincoln Way Central HS) HBP, Max Morohashi (SO, Los Angeles, CA/Campbell Hall tripled in two, he would score on a Zach Allam (SO, Bloomington, IN/Edgewood HS) sacrifice fly, and the Gorloks led, 7-0.
Lasky wound up 3-4, with a double and two runs scored. Gandolfi was 2-4 with an RBI, Morohashi 2-4, with two RBIs, two runs, and a 3B, Wollnik 2-4, with an RBI and run, and Winckel was 1-2 with an RBI.
Freshmen Johnny Lord (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley HS) and Trey Tigart (Sikeston, MO/Sikeston HS) finished up, each tossing an inning, as the Gorloks won the seven-inning contest, 9-1.
In game two, Lee went six shutout innings, giving up five hits and a walk, and striking out 10 Beavers. Lee won his first collegiate contest and has a 0.66 ERA in 13 2/3 innings pitched on the season.
Brett Buchanan (SR, Villa Park, IL/Willowbrook HS) came on to pitch two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth, striking out two. Jason Gray (SR, Chesterfield, MO/Eureka HS) picked up his second straight save with a scoreless ninth inning.
Webster scored all it would need in the third, as Lasky reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, and scored when Jeff Kammer (JR, Chesterfield, MO/Jefferson College) reached on an error. The Gorloks picked up an insurance run in the seventh when Lasky and Gandolfi singled, moved up on a fly to center by Kammer, and a Winckel sac fly scored Lasky.
Lasky was 3-5, with two runs, and was 6-9 with four runs on the afternoon. Gandolfi was 2-5 for the game and 5-9 on the day, while Wollnik was 2-4 and wound up 4-8 for the doubleheader.
The wins push Webster to 6-0 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and 14-3 overall. The Gorloks travel to Mt. Pleasant, IA, for a three-game series vs. new SLIAC member Iowa Wesleyan University on April 5-6.