Greenville, IL 4/4/2023- The Westminster College softball team started SLIAC play on the road against the Greenville University Panthers Tuesday afternoon. The Blue Jays would take on early 1-0 scoring in the top of the first inning, the Panthers would tie the game in the bottom half of the frame. They would play three scoreless innings with the game tied 1-1. Greenville would score four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and go on to win the game 9-1. With the victory, they started 1-0 in the SLIAC and improved to 9-6 on the season. The Blue Jays fell to 0-1 in the conference and 0-20 on the season.

Haley Miller (O'Fallon, MO / Liberty) started the game for the Jays, she would pitch five innings, giving up five runs on five hits. She would walk six batters and strike out four Panthers batters.

Caroline Bentley (Bakersfield, MO / Bakersfield) came in the finish the game. She threw two-thirds of an inning, giving up four runs on five hits and recording one strikeout.

The Blue Jays would start the game off with Maddie Marrero (Columbia, Mo. / Rock Bridge) getting hit by a pitch to put a runner on first to start the inning. Emily Esquivel (San Diego, Ca. / Eastlake) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Marrero up. There would be a throwing error by the Greenville third baseman that allowed Marrero to move up to third. Esquivel was thrown out trying to reach second base on the play.

Haylee Chandler (Bowling Green, MO / Bowling Green) would drive Marrero in with a single to center field to give the Blue Jays an early 1-0 lead.

The Panthers would tie the game in the bottom of the first inning to make it 1-1. They would later score four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and four more in the bottom of the sixth to win the game 9-1.

The Blue Jays will be back in action tomorrow, they return home to take on Graceland University in a doubleheader. The first pitch is scheduled for 12:00 PM from Blue Jay Field.