The Webster University baseball team advanced in the winner's bracket in the NCAA III Waterloo (IA) Regional, with a 4-3 win over Anderson University (IN) on May 15.  Pitcher Dylan Dean Smith came out of the bullpen for a second straight game to shut down the Gorloks' opponent and pick up the win.
 
With the win, Webster stands as the only undefeated team of the five remaining in the regional and will face the winner of the Wisconsin-Stevens Point/Anderson game at 7:00 p.m. on May 16.
 
After falling behind 2-0 in the first, and 3-0 in the fifth, the Gorloks clawed back to tie the game in the seventh and scored the winning run in the eighth.  In the eighth, Blake Thomas (JR, Troy, IL/Triad HS) led off with a single and, after stealing second and third base, scored on a Dylan Rajkovich (JR, Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg HS) single to take a 4-3 lead.  Smith retired Anderson, 1-2-3, in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win.
 
Smith (SR, Albion, IL/Edwards County HS), pitched three innings of shutout relief to pick up his eighth win of the season.  Smith was the winner in the Gorloks' 4-3 win over Carthage in game one after retiring the final out of a ninth inning jam before Webster scored the game winner.  Smith is 8-3 on the year and 24-6 in his career at Webster.  His 24 wins are second on Webster's career list.
 
Webster had tied the game in the seventh.  Catcher Adam Naliwajko (SO, Mt. Prospect, IL/St. Viator HS) led off with a double.  A wild pitch and single by Matt Wollnik (SO, Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley HS) scored Naliwajko to make it 3-3. 
 
The Gorloks were trailing the Ravens, 3-0, entering the sixth.  Charlie Gandolfi (SR, Mundelein, IL/Mundelein HS) doubled to lead off.  Gandolfi took third on groundout, and scored as Alec Bahnick (SO, Owensboro, KY/Owensboro Catholic HS) reached on a throwing error on the Anderson SS.  Thomas singled to right, with Bahnick moving to third.
 
A wild pitch scored Bahnick with Thomas taking second.   Kyle Uhrich (SO, St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves HS) followed with a double to left center, but Thomas could only take third and was stranded as Webster was down, 3-2.
 
Anderson reached starter Isaac Behme (SR, Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg HS) for two runs in the first on a single and double, with another single scoring both as the Ravens took a 2-0 lead.  The Ravens extended their lead to 3-0 with a leadoff homer in the fifth off Behme.
 
Behme went six innings, giving up eight hits, two walks, and three runs, while striking out four.  Smith went three scoreless innings, giving up two hits, no walks, and striking out one.  Smith lowered his season earned run average to 0.70 in 38 1/3 innings pitched.
 
Thomas wound up 3-4 with three stolen bases and a run scored.  Uhrich was 2-4 with a double and RBI.  Rajkovich and Wollnik were each 1-4 with an RBI, and Gandolfi was 2-4 with a double and run scored.
 
Webster is 32-13 on the season.  The win was head coach Bill Kurich's 299th of his career, all coming at Webster.