After only scoring two runs in its three losses in Florida last week, the Webster University baseball team unleashed its offense this week. The Gorloks won three games and lost two, but scored a total of 50 runs in their five games.
The Gorloks did most of their damage against Principia College in a March 24 tripleheader in Elsah, Ill. Webster defeated Principia 17-0, 9-5 and 15-11 in its first games of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season.
“We outscored them a little bit more than I really expected to,” Webster coach Bill Kurich said. “There were some very good bright spots. It was good to see some of those guys swing the bat like I know they would.”
Senior first baseman Tom Henke led the hitting spree for the Gorloks in their three-game sweep of Principia. Henke was 6 for 13 with eight RBIs and scored four runs. Henke hit his second home run of the season in the 9-5 victory.
“I was getting good pitches to swing at finally,” Henke said. “I’m starting to see the ball a little bit better. My swing is just coming along as the season goes on.”
In the 17-0 victory over Principia, which was shortened to seven innings, freshman Jack Bensinger won his third game of the year. Bensinger threw six scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and three walks while striking out seven.
Junior outfielder Mike Rainbolt led Webster with five RBIs in the 15-11 win. Rainbolt went 2 for 3 while scoring a run and stealing a base. Junior outfielder Cody Stevenson stole four bases in the win.
Because of rain on March 23, the Gorloks scheduled game against Principia was moved to March 24. Webster already had a doubleheader scheduled against Principia on that day, so an additional game was added to make it a tripleheader. Webster’s first game began at 2 p.m. and the last game ended at midnight.
“We take it one game at a time,” Kurich said. “It was a late night. It sounds a lot more difficult than it really is. It was a little bit more difficult getting home at 1 a.m. and waking up at 6:30 a.m. to get on the bus by 8 a.m.”
On March 25, Webster traveled to Normal, Ill., to take on Division-I Illinois State University of the Missouri Valley Conference. The Gorloks didn’t shy away from the Redbirds and only lost 6-2 (click here for more on this game).
Earlier in the week on March 21, Webster lost to Washington University, 12-7, in a road contest. Stevenson scored two runs while also hitting his first home run of the season.
Freshman pitcher Isaac Behme had his roughest outing of the season as he took the loss. Behme threw four innings, allowing 10 runs — three unearned — on 11 hits, while walking three and striking out one.
Webster’s record now stands at 10-8, and the Gorloks started the SLIAC season 3-0.
Webster hosts Westminster College in a March 28 SLIAC doubleheader at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Ill. The first game starts at 5 p.m., and the second game is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m.
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