SAUGET, IL - The Benedictine University baseball team capped the opening weekend of the series by dropping a pair of tight contests at 14th-ranked Webster.

FINAL SCORES
Webster 3, Benedictine 1 - Gm 1
Webster 7, Benedictine 6; 12 Innings - Gm 2

GAME ONE
• Benedictine stranded three on base in the first two innings and Webster took advantage of a miscue to score twice in the bottom of the second
• After stranding a runner at third in the fifth following a one-out double and stolen base from Ryan Doubek, Benedictine finally cut into the deficit in the sixth
• With two outs Kevin Bushnell homered to right-center, the first longball of the year for Benedictine
• Benedictine loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth and came up empty
• Webster responded with an insurance run in the bottom of the frame
• Benedictine placed the tying runs on base in the ninth but came up empty, stranding 12 for the game and spoiling a strong effort from Stephen Sewruk

GAME TWO
• Webster scored three runs in the bottom of the third to take the early lead
• Benedictine did not record a hit until the fifth
• The hosts added two in the fifth to take a 5-0 advantage
• Benedictine began building late momentum with a single run in the top of the seventh
• Brenden Norberg led off with a double and scored an unearned run when Anthony Lenza reached on an error
• Benedictine left two on in the seventh and eighth before a wild ninth inning
• Five runs scored with two outs as Benedictine grabbed a 6-5 lead
• The rally started with Kyle Mitter recording a single and moving to second on an error
• Jack Surin stroked an RBI single and Damen Castillo knocked home two with a double
• Norberg drove home two pinch runners with a single to put Benedictine ahead as Webster used four pitchers in the inning
• Webster tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a two-out solo homer
• Both teams stranded runners on base in the 10th and 11th before Webster won the game on an error
• Benedictine left 14 on base in the second game for a total of 26 in the doubleheader

STAT LEADERS
• Sewruk allowed just two earned runs in seven innings in the opener, suffering the first loss of his career
• Mitter, Bushnell and Logan Shepard all logged two hits in the first game as Benedictine totaled nine
• Robbie Dudzinski started the second game and worked three innings before Justin Sosa and Ty Liaromatis both worked a pair
• Jackson Bahn, Ryan Litavecz and Simon Herold all took the mound in the second game with Herold suffering the loss
• Benedictine banged out 12 hits in the second contest, four of which were doubles
• Castillo collected three while Norberg, Mitter, Surin and Bushnell all posted two apiece

UP NEXT
Benedictine (0-3) plays Ripon in a doubleheader at Joliet's DuPage Medical Group Field on March 17, as a Benedictine home game fans are not allowed per university policy.