MT. PLEASANT, Iowa - The Westminster Blue Jays cranked out three home runs and ended up with eight extra-base hits in completing the SLIAC series sweep of the Iowa Wesleyan Tigers on Sunday.
Westminster College - which opened St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play by taking Saturday's doubleheader against Iowa Wesleyan University 6-2 and 12-0 - raised its season record to 8-3. The Blue Jays have now won five in a row.
Senior right fielder Tanner Branneky and senior designated hitter Ryan Gvillo both hammered three-run homers Sunday for Westminster, while freshman left fielder Will Stonecipher supplied a two-run shot.
Junior center fielder Nick Bohlmann was 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs batted in and scored three times to help fuel the Blue Jays' 18-hit rampage. Junior second baseman Blake Strebler also finished 3-for-6 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored, while Stonecipher went 3-for-5 with his two RBI and a run scored.
Branneky was 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and also scored three runs, while Gvillo finished 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. Senior first baseman Nick Cessna went 2-for-5 with two RBI and scored a run.
Freshman Brett Denney threw one-third of an inning in relief of freshman starter Thomas Kinney to earn his first win of the season for Westminster. Denney (1-0) gave up an earned run on two hits and issued a walk.
Westminster sophomore starter Alex Dickneite (2-0) scattered five hits, struck out seven and walked two to post the complete-game victory in Saturday's 6-2 win over the Tigers.
Branneky was 2-for-3 with two RBI as the Blue Jays collected 10 hits. Cessna finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice, while Gvillo went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Strebler also went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Freshman starter Sam Huesgen then blanked Iowa Wesleyan on six hits in a complete-game effort in Westminster's 12-0 romp in the nightcap. Huesgen (3-1) recorded seven strikeouts and only one walk.
The Blue Jays broke the game open with an eight-run rampage in the ninth as Cessna pouned a grand slam and and freshman third baseman Trevor Rhoades ripped a pinch-hit, three-run homer.
Cessna ended up 2-for-5 with his four RBI and two runs scored as Westminster made the most of just six hits. Bohlmann was 2-for-4 with a double and scored three times.
Branneky finished 1-for-4 with two RBI.
The Blue Jays travel to Louisville, Ky., for a SLIAC doubleheader with Spalding University at 1 p.m. Saturday.