The Webster University baseball team won a thriller for its 11th straight victory.  Pitching and hitting heroics both carried the day as the Gorloks came from behind for a 6-5 win over Washington University on April 14, at GCS Ballpark.

With the game tied, 5-5, Matt Wollnik (SO, Naperville,  IL/Neuqua Valley HS) doubled down the right field line to lead off the bottom of the ninth for Webster.  Wollnik just slid under a tag at home plate as he scored the game winner when Adam Naliwajko (SO, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator HS) followed with a single.  The Gorlok bench mobbed Wollnik, and then Naliwajko, when the 6-5 win was secured.

It was just the final set of heroics needed for Webster to nail down the win.  Down by two runs with two outs in the eighth inning, Jeff Kammer (SR, Chesterfield, MO/Lafayette HS) smoked a two-run homer over the center field wall to tie the game at 5-5.  Kammer's shot also scored Kyle Uhrich (SO, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves HS) who had beat out a slow roller to the right side the previous at bat, with Washington U employing a shift with its second baseman behind the second base bag.

That Webster only trailed, 5-3, heading into the bottom of the eighth, took a stellar relief stint by Chris Jansen (SR, Cicero, IN/Bishop Chatard HS).  Jansen was called on to put out a fire after starter Matt Goro (SO, Wildwood, MO/Lafayette HS) had allowed a run and loaded the bases with one out in the Washington U. seventh.  Jansen struck out the first batter he faced looking, the went 3-0 on the next batter before striking him out as well. 

Jansen kept the deficit at two when he retired the Bears in the eighth, pitching around a two-out double, then pitched around a two-out single in the ninth after Kammer tied it up.
Jansen went 2 2/3 innings, giving up two hits, walking none, and striking out six as he improved to 2-0 on the season.  His earned run average on the year is now 1.20.

Goro, who entered the game 3-0 with a 0.78 era, was touched for a run in the first by the Bears, but the Gorloks reponded in their half of the inning.

Max Fecske (SO, North Hollywood, CA/Notre Dame HS) singled and Blake Thomas (JR, Troy, IL/Triad HS) was hit by a pitch with one down.  After the two pulled a double steal, Kyle Uhrich hit a sacrifice fly to score Fecske.  Jeff Kammer SR, Chesterfield, MO/Lafayette HS) singled Thomas to give Webster a 2-1 lead.  Mike Golich (FR, Aurora, IL/West Aurora HS) singled to lead off the first for Webster, but unfortunately injured himself on the turn around first and was tagged out as he laid on the turf.

A three-run second gave the Bears a 4-2 lead and the score remained that way until the Webster sixth.  Uhrich hit his 10th home run, a solo blast over the left-field wall with one out, to make it 4-3.  Uhrich became the first Gorlok to hit double figures in home runs since Victor Valdez hit 16 in 2009.

Kammer was 2-3, with a home run, three RBIs, a walk, and reached on a HBP.  Uhrich was 2-3, with a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored.  Goro finished with 6 1/3 innings pitched, giving up eight hits, five runs and three walks, while striking out three.

Webster is now 21-8 on the season with its 11th straight win.  The Gorloks climbed back in the most recent ABCA/Collegiate Baseball rankings, landing at #28.  Webster leads the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 'East' division with a 5-1 record, and has the top overall conference record at 10-3.

The Gorloks have a return single game at Washington U on April 17, then continue play in the SLIAC with a doubleheader at Principia College on April 18 in Elsah, IL.  Webster then will complete a postponed contest with Greenville College on April 21 at GCS, with Webster leading 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning.