Westminster Baseball Walks Off on Senior Day

Westminster Baseball Walks Off on Senior Day

FULTON, Mo. - Ryan Clavin provided a walk-off home run to send the three Blue Jay seniors out with a home victory at Saucier Field, splitting the series with MacMurray.

Westminster moves to 12-11 overall and 8-6 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, tied with Fontbonne in the West Divison. 

Game one was proved to be a pitcher's duel as Westminster was shut out 3-0. The only three runs in the game came on an RBI single in the second and an RBI double in the seventh to seal the MacMurray win. Ryan Clavin and Devin Masek were the two Blue Jays to record a hit in the game. 

Andrew Boessen took the loss on the mound after pitching 6.1 innings, giving up two runs on six hits. 

The Highlanders took another 3-0 lead through four innings in game two, but Westminster came alive at the plate in the bottom of the fifth with a Clavin solo home run, the first run of the day for Westminster. 

In the sixth, MacMurray added two more runs to take a 5-1 lead, but the Blue Jays refused to go down quietly and put together a rally over the final four innings. Will Stonecipher added the second Blue Jay home run of the day with a solo shot in the sixth to cut the lead to 5-2 to start the comeback. 

In the seventh, Zach Eisenreich scored on a wild pitch and Stonecipher stepped to the plate and hit a double to score Hayden Hirschvogel and Clavin, tying the game at five runs apiece. 

Ethan Rackers and Ian Cassidy pitched shutout innings in the eighth and ninth to hold the Highlanders, and Westminster started the ninth at the top of the lineup with walk-off hopes alive. 

After an Eisenreich strikeout, Branden Beeler drew a walk to put the winning run on base. Clavin, already with a home run on the day, stepped to the plate and hit a shot to right-center field to take home the winner for the Blue Jays. 

In between games, Westminster honored its three seniors Cassidy, Ryan Klimkiewicz, and Alex Dickneite for the contributions to their program in their time in a Westminster uniform. 

Westminster remains home, playing a rescheduled series against Eureka April 25 with a doubleheader. First pitch is set for noon.