FULTON, Mo. - Westminster baseball won their first game against Elmhurst but dropped the second game for their first loss of the season.
The Blue Jays start the season 4-1 after today's games.
In game one, Westminster opened the game with a big second inning to score five of their six total runs. Mason Price and Brandon Beeler both reached to put two runners on with no outs. After a flyout and a groundout, Adam Mundle stepped to the plate and singled to centerfield for a two-out, two RBI at bat. Zach Eisenreich hit a single to move Mundle to third, and Blake Strebler cleared the bases with a double to make the score 4-0. Ryan Clavin drove in Strebler for the fifth run of the inning.
Elmhurst was able to score one run in the fifth, but Westminster immediately answered with another run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI from Will Stonecipher.
Ian Cassidy took the win, his second as a Blue Jay, pitching all seven innings. He allowed just one run on six hits, walking one and striking out six.
In game two, Westminster got out to a hot start offensively. After allowing two runs in the top of the first, the team answered with three of their own in the bottom of the inning. Stonecipher drove in two runs on a deep double to left field, and Beeler drove him in with a single to centerfield, making the score 3-2 after just one inning.
Elmhurst tied the game in the third, but Westminster again had an answer as Ryan Klimkiewicz hit a single to drive in Braden Beasley.
Westminster exploded in the fourth and fifth inning, adding six more runs to go up 10-3 after five innings. Ryan Clavin stepped up to the plate with two runners on and drove in both with a deep triple. Stonecipher followed up with a single to score Clavin to close out the fourth.
Klimkiewicz started the scoring in the fifth inning with a solo homerun, his first of the year. Strebler followed that up with a homerun of his own, scoring Eisenreich.
Elmhurst added three more runs in the sixth to start their comeback, including two RBI from walks and a hit by pitch, making the score 10-6 in favor of Westminster.
Westminster added its last run in the bottom of the sixth after Zach Stiles was hit by a pitch to drive in a run.
Elmhurst finally completed its comeback in the seventh with two homeruns, including a grand slam and a two-run shot, to make the score 12-11. Westminster was unable to come back in the eighth and ninth innings to drop their first game of the year.
Alex Dickneite started the game for Westminster, going 3.2 innings and giving up three runs on four hits. Clavin took the loss, pitching 3.2 innings, giving up six runs on six hits.
Westminster returns to Saucer Field Sunday for the rubber match against Elmhurst at noon.
