Fulton, Mo., May 5, 2021 – The Westminster College softball team came into Wednesdays SLIAC Tournament Quarterfinal game with the Iowa Wesleyan University Tigers knowing that they faced a tough challenge. The Tigers boasted pitcher Morgan Christner, a Division 1 transfer from Illinois State University and the 2019 SLIAC Pitcher of the Year. She owns the SLIAC's top ERA and topped the league in strikeouts. She was as advertised as the Tigers prevailed 6-0 ending the Blue Jay season.
The game started promisingly for the Blue Jays as freshman leadoff hitter Emily Esquivel would slash a single to left field. Laney Rosson was called upon to bunt her into scoring position and she did so with precision. After a pop up gave IWU their second out senior Katie Price would line a ball that looked like it was going into center field only to have the IWU shortstop make and over the shoulder reaching catch ending the inning and the scoring chance.
The game would remain scoreless until the 3rd inning. A two out two run single by the Tiger second baseman Ivy Geerdes gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Christner would add a solo home run in the top of the 5th inning for a 3-0 lead.
The Blue Jays would try to mount a rally in the bottom of the 5th inning. With two outs in the inning Esquivel would collect her second hit of the game to right field. Rosson would then single. Esquivel would head for third and Rosson would advance to second on the IWU throw to third. The Blue Jays had two runners in scoring position. Brooke Laidley would step to the plate and hit a rocket of a line drive to right field that the Tiger outfielder would snare to end the inning.
Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, Christener (5-5) was just too tough this game as she would go the distance and strike out 10 batters walking none and allowing just five hits. The Tigers would go on to take the game 6-0.
Erin Carr (4-9), making her first appearance since coming back from an injury, went 5.2 innings giving up five runs on nine hits. She struck out four and walked two in picking up the loss. Senior Katie Price would go 1.1 innings in relief yielding a run on two hits while striking out one and walking none.
The Blue Jays finish the season 15-18 overall and 6-6 in SLIAC play.
