04/13/2025 Fulton, MO- In a thrilling doubleheader on April 12, Westminster College's baseball team secured two victories against Blackburn. The Blue Jays came from behind in the first game, winning 9-5 with timely hitting and strong pitching. In the second game, Westminster cruised to a 20-8 victory, ending the game early via the run rule. The doubleheader sweep improves Westminster's overall record to 14-15 and 7-5 in conference play, setting the stage for the remainder of conference season play, with only three more opponents left to face and looking to secure their spot in the conference tournament.
Game 1: Westminster 9, Blackburn 5
Westminster College's baseball team came from behind to secure a 9-5 victory over Blackburn in the first game of their doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Blackburn took an early 3-0 lead with two runs in the first inning, courtesy of a two-RBI single, followed by an RBI triple in the second. Westminster responded in the second, with Sam Alles grounding out to bring in a run, narrowing the score to 3-1.
The Blue Jays continued to chip away in the third inning, as Cameron Schlegl singled to bring in Troy Romero, pulling Westminster to within one at 3-2. Blackburn extended their lead to 5-2 in the fourth, but Westminster was far from finished.
In the bottom of the fourth, Schlegl came through again with a clutch two-RBI single, driving in Beno Ballard and Romero to close the gap to 5-4. The game was tied at 5-5 in the sixth inning when William Crabtree singled to score Schlegl, setting up a dramatic finish.
Keli'i Price provided the decisive blow in the seventh, blasting a two-run homer to give Westminster a 7-5 lead. The Blue Jays added insurance runs in the eighth when Brett Montgomery homered, scoring Crabtree, and extending the lead to 9-5.
Charlie Schweppe pitched 6.2 innings for Westminster, allowing five runs while striking out seven. Salvador Moncada earned the win in relief, and Richard Decola earned the save with two scoreless innings.
Game 2: Westminster 20, Blackburn 8
Westminster College exploded offensively in the second game of their doubleheader, delivering a 20-8 victory over Blackburn that ended via the run rule in the seventh inning. The Blue Jays jumped to an early lead in the first inning with two runs on RBI singles from
Cameron Schlegl and William Crabtree. Blackburn fought back in the fifth, tying the game at 4-4 with a two-run homer and a solo shot.
However, Westminster quickly regained control, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-4 lead. The Blue Jays' offense continued to surge, with Sam Callaway's three-run homer in the sixth extending the lead to 11-4. In the seventh, Westminster sealed the game with a flurry of runs. Keli'i Price's two-run homer made it 16-8, and Brett Montgomery's grand slam pushed the score to 20-8, ending the game via the run rule.
Price had a standout performance, finishing 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs, and four runs scored. Montgomery's grand slam contributed to his four RBIs on the day, and Callaway added three RBIs with his home run. The Blue Jays finished with 20 runs on 16 hits, with contributions from nearly every player in the lineup.
On the mound, Jack Page earned the win with a solid four-inning performance, allowing just two hits and striking out six. The bullpen worked through some runs, but Kaleb Hinkle-Pruett, Tayden Harlow, and James Duckworth kept Blackburn's offense at bay.
Westminster's offensive depth and consistent pressure were on full display in this dominant win. With a powerful performance at the plate and solid pitching, the Blue Jays continue to build momentum as they move forward in their season.
