The Westminster softball team outhit Grinnell 24-8 in a two-game sweep on Saturday afternoon. The Westminster Blue Jays won game one 13-8 before short-gaming the Grinnell Pioneers in game two, 11-0 (5 innings), bringing their season record to 5-3.
Game One
Grinnell took an early 6-0 lead after the first two and a half innings of play. In the bottom of the third, sophomore Amber Tepen hit a RBI double to bring in junior Anne Baker. Junior Erica Burney then hit a RBI single to center field, scoring Tepen. Burney was then thrown out in a pickle to end the inning with two runs scored.
The Blue Jays then put up six runs in the fourth inning to take an 8-6 lead. On two outs, junior Brittany Hodge hit a double to left field, bringing in sophomore Amelia Knipfel. Junior Madison McKindley was then walked, loading the bases as Baker came to the plate. Baker doubled to left field, bringing in freshman Kaylin Calton and Hodge. With a 3-1 count, Tepen hit a three-run home run over center field to take the lead. The Eagles finally got their final out, ending the inning with six runs scored and five hits.
The Blue Jays put up three more runs in the fifth inning. A RBI single from Calton brought in senior Shannon Perrigo, a sacrifice fly by sophomore Kim Morrison scored freshman Taylor Sechler, and Hodge hit in freshman Caty Barrett.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Perrigo hit a two-run home run over the center field fence to bring the score to 13-6. In the top of the seventh, Grinnell scored two runs before the Blue Jays got the final out to win the game 13-8.
Perrigo (3-0) was credited with the win on the mound. She pitched five innings, faced 23 batters and struck out three.
The Blue Jays finished with 16 hits. Perrigo and junior Alyssa Johnson recorded three hits while three batters had two hits and four batters finished with one hit.
Game Two
After a scoreless first two innings of game two, the Blue Jay's bats warmed up in the bottom of the third as they scored 11 runs off eight hits. Morrison scored the first run off Baker's sacrifice fly. Burney then hit a RBI single to left field, bringing in Hodge. Perrigo hit a two RBI single to right field, and Barrett hit a RBI single down the left field line. Morrison was back at the plate and hit a three RBI double. Baker hit a RBI single down the right field line to score the tenth run of the inning, and Tepen's RBI single to right center scored the 11th and final run of the inning.
The Blue Jay defense held the Pioneers to just six batters in the next two innings, ending the game in the fifth inning with a 11-0 shutout win.
Junior Alyson Hahn (1-2) pitched a one hitter complete game win. She faced 16 batters, allowed just one hit and struck out three.
The Blue Jays recorded 11 hits on the five inning game. Tepen, Burney, and Perrigo each recorded two hits while five others finished with one hit.
The Blue Jays turn around and host Robert Morris University-Springfield on Sunday, March 20, for a doubleheader starting at 1:00 pm.
