03/03/2025 Fulton, MO- The Westminster Blue Jays faced off against the Grinnell College Pioneers in a four-game series on March 1-2, 2025, in Fulton, Missouri. Westminster dropped three of the four games, bringing their season record to 5-6.
Game 1: Grinnell 3, Westminster 1 (March 1, 2025)
Westminster struggled offensively in the opening game, losing 3-1 to Grinnell. The Blue Jays got on the board in the third inning when Domenic Nordmann doubled to bring in Keli'i Price, cutting Grinnell's lead to 2-1. However, despite several opportunities to tie or take the lead, Westminster couldn't generate enough offense.
Westminster's Jack Page (L, 1-1) pitched 5 solid innings, allowing just three earned runs but wasn't supported enough by his offense. The Blue Jays were limited to only five hits, and their 13 strikeouts were a major factor in the loss.
While the pitching kept Westminster in the game, they were unable to capitalize on scoring chances, and a lack of timely hitting proved costly.
Game 2: Westminster 7, Grinnell 6 (March 1, 2025)
Westminster bounced back in Game 2, winning 7-6 in a thrilling back-and-forth affair. After falling behind 2-0 in the second inning, the Blue Jays responded in the third, with a sacrifice fly from William Crabtree to tie the game at 2-2. Sam Callaway's two-RBI double gave Westminster a 4-2 lead.
Grinnell responded, tying the game at 4-4 in the sixth, but Westminster regained the lead at 5-4 when Keli'i Price's sacrifice fly brought in William Ashmore. After Grinnell tied it again in the seventh, Westminster answered in the eighth, with Aden Pecka's RBI single scoring Troy Romero to give the Blue Jays the lead for good.
Joshua Escobedo (W, 1-0) was instrumental in the win, coming in for 2.2 scoreless innings in relief. Despite striking out 13 times as a team, Westminster's offense managed to deliver when it mattered most, and their resilience was on full display.
Game 3: Grinnell 3, Westminster 0 (March 2, 2025)
In Game 3, Westminster's offense went cold, as they managed just three hits in a 3-0 shutout loss. The Blue Jays had little to no offense throughout the game, striking out 11 times and failing to generate any serious threats.
Grinnell took the lead in the sixth inning with a solo home run and added another run in the seventh on a wild pitch. Westminster couldn't get any offense going against Grinnell's Jackson Gutta (1-1), who went the distance and struck out 10 Blue Jays.
Westminster's pitching, led by Charlie Schweppe (L, 0-1), kept them in the game, with Schweppe allowing only two earned runs over seven innings. However, the lack of offense was too much to overcome, and Westminster couldn't mount a comeback. This game highlighted the Blue Jays' struggles to generate offense consistently.
Game 4: Grinnell 5, Westminster 3 (March 2, 2025)
In the final game of the series, Westminster took an early 2-0 lead on Braden Eye's two-RBI home run in the second inning, but once again, Grinnell fought back. After Grinnell responded with a solo home run in the third, Westminster extended their lead to 3-1 in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Brett Cira.
However, Grinnell came back in the eighth, tying the game at 3-3 on a passed ball that allowed Tashjian to score. In the ninth, Grinnell's Connor Goodson hit a 3-run homer, giving Grinnell a 5-3 lead that Westminster couldn't recover from.
Derek Archer (L, 1-1) pitched well for Westminster, allowing just one earned run over seven innings, but the late surge by Grinnell was too much. The Blue Jays couldn't capitalize on their early lead, and despite solid pitching and defensive efforts, their offensive struggles continued to haunt them.
Overall Series Summary
Westminster showed moments of promise throughout the series, particularly in their Game 2 win, where they bounced back from an early deficit and held off Grinnell in a close contest. Their offense was much more aggressive and effective in that game, with key contributions from Sam Callaway and Aden Pecka.
However, the Blue Jays were inconsistent at the plate throughout the series. In Game 1, their inability to get timely hits led to their loss, while in Game 3, they were shut out, unable to generate any offense against Grinnell's pitching staff. Even in Game 4, despite taking an
early lead, Westminster couldn't hold off Grinnell's late surge, ending the series with a loss.
On the mound, Westminster's pitchers gave solid performances, particularly from Charlie Schweppe and Derek Archer, who kept their team in the game in two of the losses. However, the offense struggled to provide consistent support. Inconsistent hitting and failure to capitalize on scoring opportunities were the primary reasons Westminster couldn't win more games in the series.
The Blue Jays will play again on Wednesday, March 5, against Washington University in St. Louis, MO. The first pitch is set for 2:00PM.
