FULTON, Mo. - Westminster baseball earned a dominating 12-2 victory over Robert Morris - Peoria to complete the weekend sweep and start the season 3-0.
The Blue Jays started strong in the first inning with an RBI double from Blake Strebler to go up 1-0, holding their lead for a full two innings.
The Eagles finally answered in the third inning with a two-run homerun, but it would be the only runs Robert Morris - Peoria was able to score in the game.
The Blue Jays answered immediately to tie the game in the bottom of the same inning on an RBI single from Trevor Rhoads, his first of the season. Westminster again added on the runs in the fourth, with runs scoring on a balk and a Mason Price RBI single for a 4-2 lead.
Westminster had a big fifth inning, scoring five more runs to add to their lead. After Rhoads was hit by a pitch and freshman Alec Fleetwood pinch ran, Adam Mundle hit a single to put runners on first and third. An Eagles passed ball scored Fleetwood for the first run of the inning. Zach Eisenreich drew a walk and both he and Mundle advanced on stolen bases to put runners at second and third for power hitter Ryan Clavin, who drove in Mundle with an RBI single to right field. Price added to the hot hitting with a hard hit double to clear the bases and earn two more RBI. Branden Beasley entered the game to pinch hit, hitting a double to left center for the final Blue Jay RBI of the big fifth inning.
Clavin and Zach Stiles opened the seventh with walks, while Price advanced the runners on a ground ball. Jackson Berger came in to pinch hit and hit a long fly ball to right field that would be enough to score Clavin on the sacrifice. After the Eagles walked the bases loaded, pinch hitter Daren Masek drew a walk to make the score 11-2 after seven.
Mike Williams drove in the final run to trigger the mercy rule for the Blue Jays in the eighth inning, earning the win and series sweep 12-2.
Price led the offense for the Blue Jays, going 2-4 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored. Skyler Dickneite earned the win for Westminster, pitching five innings and giving up two runs on two hits.
Westminster baseball remains at home for a weekend series against Elmhurst March 10-11 at Saucier Field.
