SAUGET, Ill. – The Webster University baseball team opened up SLIAC play this afternoon when they played host to the Spalding (Ky.) University Golden Eagles for a doubleheader. The Gorloks split the doubleheader with the Golden Eagles as they fell in the first game by a final score of 5-4 and then bounced back to win the second game by a final score of 6-5 to improve to 7-9 on the season and 1-1 in the SLIAC.

The first game of the day marked the 214^th career game played for Ben Swords. With his 214 career game played, Swords becomes the all-time leader in NCAA Division III baseball history. Swords passes Roger Thompson from Marietta (Ohio) College who set the record in 1987.

In their first game of the day, the Gorloks put together seven hits in the contest. They got on the board in the bottom of the first when Parker Weilt hit his fourth homerun of the season to give Webster a 1-0 lead. The Golden Eagles answered with two runs in the top of the third and a run in the top of the sixth, but two runs from the Gorloks in the bottom of the seventh tied the score at three. The score remained tied over the next few innings, but two runs from Spalding in the top of the 10^th gave them a 5-3 lead late in the game. Webster was able to cut the lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the frame, but the Golden Eagles picked up the final outs of the contest to solidify the win.

Alek Elges was the starting pitcher for the Gorloks as he allowed eight hits and three earned runs while striking out five in 7.1 innings on the mound. Ben Kowalski (0-3) pitched in relief as he allowed four hits and two earned runs while striking out two in the final 2.2 innings of the game.

Matt Staker led the way at the plate as he went 2-for-4 with a run scored. In addition, Parker Weilt went 1-for-3 with a solo homerun (4) and two runs scored while Evan Evola went and Nathaniel Martinez each recorded an RBI.

The Gorloks finished the second game with 14 hits. The Golden Eagles got off to a quick start in this one as they scored a run in the top of the first to take an early lead. The Gorloks answered with a run in the bottom of the second and two runs in the bottom of the third, but four runs from Spalding in the top of the fifth gave them a 5-3 lead halfway through the game. The Gorloks answered with a run in each of the next two innings to tie the score at five, and then a solo homerun from Matt Staker in the bottom of the eighth gave Webster a 6-5 advantage late in the game. The Golden Eagles threatened in the top of the ninth, but the Gorloks were able to pick up the final outs of the game to solidify the win.

Jordan Smevoll was the starting pitcher in this one as he allowed six hits and four earned runs while striking out five in 4.1 innings. Joel Arsenault (3-0) pitched in relief as he allowed four hits while striking out three in the final 4.2 innings of the game.

Nathaniel Martinez led the way at the plate as he went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Parker Wielt also had a nice game as he went 2-for-5 with two RBI. In addition, Matt Staker went 2-for-4 with a solo homerun (1), Mitch Daniels went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Malik Wirges went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and R.J. LaRocco went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

The Gorloks will play the final game of the three-game series against the Golden Eagles tomorrow, March 27^th at 12 p.m. The game will take place at GCS Credit Union Ballpark in Sauget, Illinois.