Fulton, Mo. 4/22/2022- The Westminster College baseball team hosts the Eureka College Red Devils in the final homestand of the 2022 season. The series was moved up a day to avoid the weather coming in on Sunday. Westminster would win the game one Friday matinee 7-3 after blasting three home runs. The victory brings the Blue Jays record to 5-10 on the season in the SLIAC and 7-21 overall on the year. Eureka falls to 7-8 in the SLAIC and 15-15 overall. The two teams sit in the 5th and 6th seed currently in the conference standings. The Saturday doubleheader will be very important games for both teams, with only a few weeks remaining in the regular season.
Game one was a pitching duel through the first four innings. Bode Gebbink (St, Joseph, Il. / St. Joeseph-Ogden) got the start on the mound for the Blue Jays pitching a scoreless five innings before giving up one run in the sixth. Gebbink pitched six full innings, giving up one run on five hits. He would strike out six batters on the day.
The Blue Jays would score first in the bottom of the fourth, giving them an early 1-0 lead. The fireworks would start in the bottom of the sixth after Derek Shikles (New Bloomfield, MO / New Bloomfield) hit a lead-off double to center field. Quin Adelson (Louisville, KY / North Oldham) would hit a two-run shot to center field in the next at-bat to put the Blue Jays up 3-1. The home run is Adelson's third home run in his last four games. Later in the inning, with two outs, Spencer Keiser (Old Monroe, MO / Winfield) would hit the second home run of the inning. He would send one over the right-field fence to give the Jays a commanding 4-1 lead.
Corbin Harrison (Eldon, MO / Eldon) would come on in the seventh and sit the Red Devils down 1,2,3. He would strike out two, one away from an immaculate inning. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Westminster would add on some insurance runs to put the game away. Steven Diaz (Highland, Il. / Highland) got things started with a lead-off home run to right field. The wind was whipping from left to right at Saucier Field this afternoon. Adelson drew a one-out walk and then would advance to second on a passed ball. Coltin Green (St. Anthony, Mo. / St. Elizabeth) would reach second after a dropped fly ball by the Red Devil left fielder and it allowed Adelson to score on the play. Keiser would hit a single to right field to score Green, putting the Blue Jays up 7-1.
The Red Devils would score two runs in the 8th to make it 7-3. Harrison shut the door on a Red Devil comeback, pitching three innings and struck out three. He would give up two runs on one hit and walked three batters.
The Blue Jays are back in action tomorrow for a Saturday doubleheader set for noon and 3:00 p.m. The first game tomorrow will feature senior day festivities beginning at 11:30 a.m. Be sure to get to Saucier Field early as Westminster will honor the careers of Derek Shikles, Hayden Hirschvogel (Jefferson City, Mo. / Jefferson City), and Jacob Waeltermann (Barnhart, Mo. / Seckman).
