The Westminster softball team defeats Greenville 6-3 in the second round of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Tournament to move to the championship round, and junior Erica Burney broke the Westminster career home run record in the process. The win sets them up with the advantage in the championship game with no losses in the double-elimination tournament. With the win, the Westminster Blue Jays move to 22-15 on the season.
The Blue Jays scored first with an RBI double from junior Alyssa Johnson to score sophomore Amelia Knipfel in the second inning. Johnson was then brought home with junior Alyson Hahn's RBI single to take a 2-0 lead, but Greenville tied the game in the top of the third with a two-run shot.
In the bottom of the third, the Blue Jays took a 3-2 advantage over the Greenville Panthers with a Burney RBI double to score sophomore Amber Tepen.
Greenville knotted the game again in the fifth inning with an RBI sacrifice bunt, but the Blue Jays pulled back the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a lead-off homer from Burney. Burney's home run was her 11th of the season, breaking the career record. Johnson then got on base and was brought home by Hahn's RBI single, giving the Blue Jays a 5-3 edge over Greenville.
In the bottom of the sixth, senior Shannon Perrigo brought in junior Anne Baker off an RBI single to center field, to give the Blue Jays a 6-3 lead.
The Blue Jays limited the Panthers to two fly outs and a strikeout in the final inning, ending the game with a 6-3 win.
The Blue Jay offense grabbed 11 hits at the plate. Burney, Johnson, and Hahn each went 2-for-3 from the plate. Burney recorded a home run, a double, and two RBI. Johnson, Perrigo, and freshman Caty Barrett each recorded a double. Defensively, Burney posted 13 putouts.
Perrigo (11-6) pitched the complete-game win in the circle. Throughout the seven innings of play, she struck out four and allowed three earned runs.
The Blue Jays face Greenville again in the championship round of the SLIAC Tournament at 4:00 pm in Elsah, Ill. at the campus of Principia College. Since the tournament is double elimination, if the Blue Jays lose the first game, the "as if" game will come into effect to determine the winner immediately following the championship game. The winner of the SLIAC Tournament will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
