The #2 ranked Webster University baseball team beat Westminster College, 2-1, in 19 innings on May 1 in Fulton, MO. In what is believed to be the longest game in Gorlok baseball history, a Ryan Hall sacrifice fly scored the game winner as Dylan Dean Smith held Westminster scoreless over the final six and one-third innings. Webster stayed perfect at 23-0 in the SLIAC.
In the 19th inning, Brett Jungles (Naperville, IL/St. Francis HS) singled but was forced at second by Zach Allam (SO, Bloomington, IN/Edgewood HS). Freshman Matt Wollnik (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley HS) singled and Corey Lasky (SR, New Lenox, IL/Lincoln Way Central HS) reached on an error.
A sacrifice fly by Ryan Hall (SR, Chesterfield, MO/Eureka HS) brought Allam home with the game winner. Smith (SR, Albion, IL/Edwards County HS), gave up two singles in the bottom of the 19th, but closed it out for the victory.
It took 13 innings, but the game finally heated up when Webster took a 1-0 lead in the top half. Hall doubled to lead off and Joe Winckel (SR, Bonne Terre, MO/North County HS) walked with one out. Jeff Kammer (JR, Chesterfield, MO/Lafayette HS) singled Hall in for the lead. Jared Turner (SR, Springfield, IL/Chatham Glenwood HS) singled with two out, but pinch-runner Connor Hogan (FR, New Lenox, IL/Lincoln Way Central HS) was cut down at the plate.
In the Blue Jay 13th, after Brett Buchanan (SR, Villa Park, IL/Willowbrook HS) walked the leadoff batter, freshman Matt Goro (Wildwood, MO/Lafayette HS) relieved. Goro was greeted with a game-tying double, and a wild pitch to the next batter sent the game winner to third. Goro got a ground out to third as the runner held, and Jason Gray (SR, St. Louis, MO/Eureka HS) was summoned.
On a pitch that got away from catcher Ian Foege (SR, Eureka, MO/Eureka HS), the potential winning run was cut down at the plate on a swipe tag by Gray, from a throw by Foege, as the runner at third attempted to score. Gray walked the next batter and, after giving up a single, Smith relieved Gray and ended the threat with a pop up to the mound.
Smith pitched around runners in all six plus innings of his work. He threw 102 pitches in his six and one third innings of shutout work, giving up six hits, three walks, and striking out five. He is now 8-0 on the year.
Lost in the excitement was an outstanding starting effort by Jack Bensinger (JR, Los Angeles, CA/Campbell Hall) who went nine shutout innings, giving up two hits, no walks, and striking out four. Bensinger's counterpart with Westminster, starter Tommy Bohnert, threw nine shutout innings, giving up three hits and striking out one.
Hall wound up 2-7, with an RBI, double, and run scored. Buchanan went three innings, giving up a hit, two walks, and a run, while striking out four.
After starting the ninth inning just after an hour and a half of play, the game wound up lasting four and a half hours. The previous high innings for the Gorloks in a game were a 12-inning affair vs. Fontbonne University on May, 13, 2011, won 4-3, and a 12-inning loss to Concordia-Chicago, 7-5, on March 11, 2007.
Webster is 31-5 overall. On May 3, the Gorloks have a doubleheader vs. Fontbonne University at Shaw Park in Clayton. They wind up the regular season hosting Fontbonne on May 4 at GCS Ballpark on senior night.