JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – First-year Head Coach Zach Bishop earned his first career win as the Westminster College baseball team defeated Eureka College 12-2 at Lenz Field in Jacksonville, Ill. on Saturday. The Blue Jays totaled 17 hits in the contest and are now 1-0 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. 

"Getting the first one under my belt certainly feels good. I'm just happy for my guys. We dropped a couple of close ones opening week and bounced back well to start conference play today," said Bishop. 

The Blue Jays put up four runs in the top of the second off an RBI single from Parker Schnieders, an error and a two-run single by Branden Beeler. In the third Derek Shikles doubled and was driven in by Trevor Rhoads to make the score 5-0. Westminster added another run in the fourth when Ryan Clavin doubled down the right-field line to drive in Beeler. The Red Devils got on the board with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Blue Jays scored two runs in the fifth and another two in the sixth to take a commanding 10-1 lead.

Westminster added on with runs in the seventh and eighth to take the game 12-2 for their first win of the season.

Beeler, Shikles, and Rhoads each recorded three hits in the game. Clavin went 2-4 with a pair of doubles.

Skyler Dickneite got the start for the Blue Jays and struck out 11 batters in just 4.2 innings. Jayme Bertish relived Dickneite and escaped a bases-loaded jam to close out the fifth. Bertish recorded the win, going 1.1 innings and allowing just one hit. Jacob Adrian and Christopher Hoscher each threw an inning in relief for the Blue Jays. 

"The guys came out ready to go from the start. Skyler was dominant early and we had good at-bats up and down the lineup," said Bishop. "We are getting better day by day."

The teams will close out the series with a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 11 a.m.