The #1 ranked Webster University won its first round game in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, defeating Fontbonne University, 14-7, on May 8 at Glik Park in Highland, IL. A Taylor Stoulp grand slam fueled the Gorlok offense as the team advanced in the winner's bracket.
After Webster took a 6-0 lead, Fontbonne had cut the deficit to 6-4 in the sixth inning. After Webster scored a run on back to back doubles by Charlie Gandolfi (JR, Mundelein, IL/Mundelein HS) and Kevin Kojs (SR, New Lenox, IL/Lincoln Way Central HS) making it 7-4, Stoulp struck.
Kojs was out stealing third, but an Ian Foege (SR, Eureka, MO/Eureka HS) walk, Matt Wollnik (FR, Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley HS) single, and Ryan Hall (SR, Chesterfield, MO/Eureka HS) walk loaded the bases. Stoulp (SR, St. Louis, MO/St. Mary's HS) planted the first pitch over the right field fence for his fourth home run, and 39th RBI, to make it 11-7.
Webster had taken a 1-0 lead in the first when Corey Lasky (SR, Vernon Hills, IL/Adlai E Stevenson HS) singles, was sacrificed to second, and scored on a Joe Winckel (SR, Bonne Terre, MO/North County HS) single.
The Gorloks added five more in the fourth. Winckel singled and Joe Kammer (SR, Chesterfield, MO/Lafayette HS) smashed a two-run homer, his team leading seventh. Kojs singled, Wollnik singled, Lasky doubled in two, and Hall singled in Lasky to make it 6-0.
Fontbonne then parlayed five straight hits off starter Isaac Behme (JR, Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg HS) in the sixth to make it 6-4. After Webster's five run sixth, Fontbonne chased Behme in the seventh with a single, double, and another single plated two runs. Trey Tigart (FR, Sikeston, MO/Sikeston HS) relieved with two outs and was greeted with a triple to make it 11-7.
Webster added a single run in the seventh and two more in the eighth for the 14-7 final.
Behme, the SLIAC Pitcher of the Year, went 6 2/3 innings, giving up 11 hits, seven runs, walking one and striking out three as he improved to 8-0. Tigart went 2 1/3 innings, giving up two hits and striking out three.
Stoulp was 2-5, with a home run, four RBIs, and Winckel was 3-5, with three RBIs and a run scored. Lasky was 3-5, with two RBIs, three runs, and a double. Kammer was 1-3, with a home run and two RBIs. Webster had 16 hits total on the game.
The Gorloks will now face Greenville College in the semi-finals on May 9 at 4:00 p.m. back at Glik Park. Greenville advanced with a 14-9 win over Spalding University.