GREENVILLE, Ill. – The Spalding University baseball team saw their season come to an end late Thursday night at the SLIAC Tournament in Greenville, Illinois. The Golden Eagles fell to Webster, 7-3, in their opening game, and then lost 6-5, on a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to Westminster in the elimination game. The Golden Eagles finish the season with a 25-16 overall mark and 15-7 in conference.
 
The Golden Eagles committed seven errors in the opener falling to the Gorloks, 7-3.
 
Freshman Josh Exton (5-4) took the loss, allowing seven runs, six earned, on 10 hits, while striking out and walking one batter.
 
Kam Bruner, Brad Speek and Ian Woodall led SU with two hits apiece. Blake Patterson drove in a team-high two RBIs.
 
Spalding spotted the Gorloks five runs before answering with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning. Drew Beckmann doubled to lead off the inning, and Blake Patterson homered to cut the Eagles deficit to three runs at 5-2. However, Webster's Kyle Uhrich matched it with a two-run shot of his own in the bottom of the inning to push the Gorloks lead back to five runs.
 
Korie Vire drove in SU's final run of the game with a sacrifice fly to centerfield allowing Kam Bruner to tag and score from third to make the final score, 7-3.
 
After taking a 5-4 lead in the top of the eighth inning, the Eagles gave up a run in the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings to fall, 6-5.
 
Jimi Keating (1-3) took the loss in the nightcap. Keating came on in relief in the ninth with the game knotted at 5-5, and allowed one run, on one hit, while walking one batter.
 
Senior Ryan Mosby led Spalding at the plate going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored.   
 
SU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Mosby stole third base and raced home following a throwing error by the catcher. The Blue Jays tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second executing a double steal that allowed Tim Chamblis to score.
 
Spalding answered with a pair of runs in the top of the third to retake the lead, 3-1. Mosby ripped a triple to right center bringing Jacob Woodruff in from second, and an Austin Drake sacrifice fly to center allowed Mosby to score from third. However, the Blue Jays scored a trio of runs in the bottom of the fourth. The first two runs came on a Connor Hagar two-RBI double through the five-hole. Two batters later Hagar scored due to an error at third base.
 
The Eagles forged ahead 5-4 in the top of the eighth inning when Jacob Woodruff scored on a balk. SU had an opportunity to extend their lead to two runs, but Mosby was tagged at the plate preventing the run. Westminster tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a Hagar double down the right field line, and scored the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth when Adam Mundle singled to centerfield driving in Blake Strebler from second to end the game, 6-5.