Blackburn College Senior Tyler Durand blasted two homeruns in each game today but it wasn't enough to keep the visiting Webster University Gorloks from taking a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader by scores of 14-3 and 19-8. In game one, senior right-hander Jake Lochhead pitched effectively keeping the Beavers in the contest into the 5th before a grandslam by Joe Swanson put Webster in front 8-2. Durand had solo shots in the 4th and 6th innings for the Beavers.
In game two, Blackburn jumped out to a 3-1 first inning lead on an RBI double by Nate Bassett and a two-run single from Mike McDermand. Webster answered with a five-run second and and added two in the 3rd and one in the fourth before Brady Wilkinson entered on short rest and pitched two shut-out innings to keep the Beavers in the game. Durand's two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth cut the Webster lead to 9-7. Webster added two in the top of the seventh before the game turned poorly for the Beavers in the bottom of the 7th. Blackburn loaded the bases with nobody out but a missed sign led to an easy out at the plate and turned the momentum significantly. "It's these kind of mistakes that prevent you from having a chance to beat a good team," said Blackburn Coach Mike Neal. "Brady did a very nice job keeping us in the game before Tyler put us right back into it, then he's on deck with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th and doesn't get a chance to do more damage," added Neal
After the miscues, Webster blew it open with back to back four-run innings. Durand homered in the 8th to give the Beavers their 8th run.
Blackburn is back in action tomorrow night at Principia for a 7:00 p.m. single game.