O'Fallon, Mo., May 14, 2021 – The Westminster College baseball team had their backs against the wall. Playing the same opponent for the sixth time in the past week in a postseason elimination game. The Blue Jays found themselves down 2-0 after the first half inning. The Blue Jays would rally and freshman starter Trent Morrow was masterful from the second inning to the final out in a 3-2 come from behind season saving victory.
The Blue Jays now advance to the Pod 1 Championship game against the Webster University Gorloks on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. or 30 minutes after the completion of the Pod 2 Championship game which is set for a 10:00 a.m. first pitch. The Blue Jays will have to beat the Gorloks twice in order to move on to next weekends SLIAC Championship Series vs. the winner of the Pod 2 Championship Game between #2 seeded Spalding University and #3 seeded Fontbonne University.
The Greenville University Panthers got to Morrow early, scoring two first inning runs aided by four base hits. The Blue Jays would get one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning when Steven Diaz would lead off the inning with a single up the middle. The Panthers would get the next two outs as Diaz would advance to second. Up stepped Logan Thompson with a runner in scoring position and two outs. He would respond with an RBI double to the wall in center field to cut the Panther lead in half at 2-1.
Morrow would settle into the game after allowing those two first inning runs. He would only give up three hits the last eight innings and four baserunners of any kind and only one of those got to second base where he was stranded. Morrow (3-2) would pitch a complete game giving up those two runs on seven hits. He would strike out four and walk no one. He was dominant in innings two through nine in earning the win.
The Blue Jays would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Coltin Green would walk to lead off the inning. Parker Schnieders would then double to right field and the Blue Jays had second and third with nobody out. Bryce McKinnon would single to left field to drive in Green to tie the score at 2-2. Diaz then lined out deep enough to left field to get Schnieders to score as he tagged from third base and the Blue Jays would have their first lead of the game 3-2 and Morrow would make it stand up.
The win improves the Blue Jays record to 19-20 heading into tomorrows must win game against the Gorloks. A win tomorrow by the Blue Jays would force a winner take all second game. They have come this far and tomorrow starting around 1:00 p.m. they will look to take it one step further.
