Greenville, Ill.- The Westminster baseball team enters the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Championship game for the seventh time in program history after defeating Webster University 10-1 in the second round of the SLIAC Tournament. Westminster's Nick Bohlmann broke the season triples record during the win and now has five.
The win puts the Blue Jays at a 27-12 season record, the most wins in a season since 2001.
Webster scored one in the bottom of the first with a RBI single to take a 1-0 lead after one full inning of play, but in the top of the second junior Tanner Branneky evened the score with a solo shot over the center field fence.
In the top of the third, junior Nick Cessna hit a RBI single to right field, scoring senior Deion Hughes. A Webster error in the fourth inning allowed Ta. Branneky to score, and sophomore Adam Mundle RBI doubled to bring home senior Nolan Bax. The Blue Jays possessed a 4-1 lead after four full innings of play.
With bases loaded in the seventh inning, Cessna sacrifice flied to center field, bringing in Mundle. Bohlmann then brought home the remaining two runners with his two run season-breaking triple. A Webster throwing error allowed the Blue Jays to score one more run in the inning, taking a 8-1 lead.
The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the top of the eighth with one out and senior Tyler Branneky up to bat. Ty. Branneky RBI singled, scoring senior Connor Hager, and Mundle scored the final run of the game with Cessna's sacrifice fly to left field to bring the score to 10-1.
The Blue Jay offense posted 11 hits including five extra base hits. Mundle went 3-for-5 with two doubles. Ta. Branneky recorded his tenth home run of the season, Bohlmann grabbed his season record fifth triple, and senior Nolan Bax recorded a double.
Hughes (12-1) pitched the complete game win with 10 strikeouts. He walked just one and allowed just one to cross home plate.
The Blue Jays now enter the SLIAC Championship game held on Saturday, May 14. They will play the winner of this afternoon's Greenville vs. Webster game. The time is TBD.
