Webster’s baseball team was tied 0-0 with Spalding University. Then, webster player A.J. Smith hit a home run. The team won the four-game series 3-1.
With the bases loaded, the score tied 0-0 and a pitcher looking determined to strike him out, A.J. Smith hit the fastball all the way over the fence. The home run secured the series win over Spalding University.
Smith hit the home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. He is currently leading his team with the greatest number of home runs this season, which is three.
Smith said his mindset before going up to bat is to get the best swing off and hit the ball hard.
“I don’t go up to the plate thinking about hitting a home run. I just happened to hit a home run and it felt great being able to come through in that situation,” Smith said.
Head coach Bill Kurich said as soon as Smith hit the ball, he knew it was out of there.
The Gorloks won the series against Spalding 3-1, losing only the second game on the first day. This series was considered a big conference game for both teams.
“We knew this weekend was huge. Spalding has really turned into our rival in the league. Either team could have taken a huge advantage in the league standings with a sweep that weekend. To win three out of four games was big for us,” Kurich said.
Kurich said the team’s pitching staff did a great job, but the hitters really stepped up against Spalding’s good pitching staff. Kurich also said that, along with Smith, Kyler Kent and R.J. LaRocco played a big part in helping secure this conference win.
The series win helped the baseball team move to a 13-3 overall and a 9-1 record in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Moving forward, the team plans to take on Washington University for a chance of redemption after losing 3-4 in the 12th inning earlier in the season.
Kurich says the key to being successful for the rest of the season will be how well the team can swing the bat and score runs off good pitching.
“We continue to work hard every day and get better. Our success is a product of all the hard work we have been doing,” Smith said.
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Kelly Bowen
I am a journalism major. I play on the women’s soccer team at Webster. I enjoy coffee, Mexican food and watching The Real Housewives of Orange County with my sister.
