The Westminster softball team completed a two-game sweep over Fontbonne University on Wednesday, handing the Fontbonne Griffins their first doubleheader conference loss since 2010. The Westminster Blue Jays won game one in walk-off fashion, 7-5, and continued their success into game two to win it 10-5. The Blue Jays broke Fontbonne's two-year conference winning streak, with their last loss coming from April 14, 2014 to Spalding University. The wins also break the Blue Jay's nine-year losing stint to Fontbonne. The Blue Jays are now 12-13 on the season and 5-3 in conference play.
Game One
The Blue Jays scored all seven runs in the 7-5 win off three home runs by sophomore Amber Tepen, senior Shannon Perrigo and junior Erica Burney.
Fontbonne scored a run in the top of the first, but a two-run home run in the bottom of the first by Tepen gave the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead.
Fontbonne tied the game up with a sacrifice fly in the third, but in the bottom of the inning, Perrigo knocked a three-run homer out of left field to take a 5-2 lead. Fontbonne scored two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to tie up the game for the second time, 5-5.
The Blue Jays held Fontbonne from scoring again, bringing the Blue Jays up to bat in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Tepen was walked to bring Burney up to bat. Burney hit a walk-off homer over the left field fence to end the game and tie the Westminster season home run record with nine.
Junior Alyson Hahn (5-5) grabbed the complete game win in the circle. She threw 137 pitches in seven innings of play and struck out six.
The Blue Jay offense finished with seven hits, the most hits allowed by Fontbonne's pitcher Madi Leonard this season. Tepen led with two hits on two at bats with three runs scored and two RBI.
Game Two
Westminster got on the board first in game two with a Burney RBI single to shortstop to score sophomore Leah Holthaus in the bottom of the first. Two batters later, junior Alyssa Johnson hit a RBI single to shortstop to bring in junior Anne Baker, but Fontbonne took a 3-2 lead in the top of the second with a three-run homer.
In the bottom of the third, the Blue Jays brought four runners home. Junior Brittany Hodge started the scoring with a RBI single down the left field line to score freshman Caty Barrett. Holthaus then reached on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt, scoring sophomore Amelia Knipfel. Baker completed the scoring with a two RBI single to right center, bringing home Holthaus and Hodge. After a pitching change for Fontbonne, the Blue Jays grounded out to end the inning.
Fontbonne scored one run in the fifth, but the Blue Jays put up four more runs in the sixth to take a 10-4 lead. Burney hit a RBI single down the left field line to score Baker and Johnson hit a three-run home run.
Fontbonne added one run in the seventh to end the game with the final score of 10-5.
Perrigo (7-5) grabbed the complete game win in the circle, winning her third straight complete game.
Westminster finished with 10 hits. Johnson went 3-for-3 with four RBI and a run scored. Baker went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs.
Defensively, Burney recorded 11 putouts and Hodge recorded seven assists.
The Blue Jays host Iowa Wesleyan University for the SLIAC Game of the Week on Saturday, April 16. The doubleheader starts at 1:00 pm in Fulton, Mo.
