Spalding Outlasts Westminster Baseball in SLIAC Tournament Opener

Spalding Outlasts Westminster Baseball in SLIAC Tournament Opener

GREENVILLE, Ill. - Spalding defeated Westminster baseball 7-3 in the opening round of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament.

The Blue Jays move on to face the loser of Webster vs. Spalding Friday at 5 p.m. in a win-or-go-home game. 

After a scoreless first from both team, the Golden Eagles were the first to get on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the second. 

The offense for each team remained quiet until the fifth inning, when a total of five runs between the two teams were scored. 

In the top of the inning, Zach Stiles got things rolling for Westminster with a single through the right side and then stole second. After a strikeout, Will Stonecipher stepped to the plate and hit a double to right center to score Stiles and tie the game. Rob Shifrin kept the rally going with a single to advance Stonecipher to third. After a flyout, Nick Bohlmann hit a single through the left side to score Stonecipher and take the 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. 

Spalding answered in dramatic fashion with a three-run homer to make the score 4-2 after five innings. 

The Golden Eagles added another home run and three more runs in the seventh to go up 7-2 on Westminster. 

The Blue Jays put together a rally in the ninth, loading the bases on a walk from Stiles, a pinch-hit single from Zach Eisenreich, and a single from Mundle. Bohlmann scored the lone run of the inning on a single off the pitcher to score Stiles, making the final score 7-3. 

Ian Cassidy took the loss for the Blue Jays, pitching seven innings and giving up seven runs on nine hits.