FULTON -- The Westminster College baseball team hosted the Principia College Panthers in a midweek St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader.
The Blue Jays hit three home runs on the day leading to the sweep of the Panthers, winning 13-9 in Game 1 and 19-9 in Game 2.
Principia fell to 6-11 on the season and 0-4 in the SLIAC. Westminster moved to 9-14 overall and 2-2 in the SLIAC.
Game 1
- The Panthers jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead, plating three runs in the top of the first. Principia scored two more in the top of the second to lead 5-2.
- The Blue Jays responded with two runs in the bottom of the first and then had a big seven-run inning in the bottom of the third to take a 9-5 lead. Westminster batted around in the inning that saw five hits and seven runs.
- Aden Pecka hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to put the Jays on top 11-5.
- The Panthers made it nervy in the top of the ninth, scoring four runs to make it 13-9. Dawson Schuemann came in to start the inning and settled in after the runs scored. He struck out a batter in the second out of the inning and then got a fly ball to end the game and secure the Blue Jays' 13-9 win.
- Kaleb Hinkle-Pruett picked up his first win of the season after throwing six innings, giving up four runs on five hits. He struck out eight batters.
Inside the box score:
Keli'l Price: 3-6, two runs and one RBI.
Payton Whitehead: 1-3, three runs, two RBI and one home run.
Pecka: 2-4, two runs, two RBI and one home run.
Game 2
- Principia again got off to a hot start, scoring three runs in the top of the first to take an early 3-0 lead.
- The Blue Jays scored one run in the bottom of the first, then strung together five runs in the bottom of the second and six in the bottom of the third.
- Matt Lukins hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 18-9. The Blue Jays scored one more run to end the game 19-9 in the eighth.
- Ben Kennebeck started on the mound. He pitched five innings, giving up five runs on 10 hits, to earn his first win of the season.
Inside the box score:
Lukins: 2-5, three runs, three RBI and one home run.
Whitehead: 1-4, three runs, three RBI, two walks and one double.
Trent Rueckert: 2-2, two runs, one RBI and three walks.
The Blue Jays will be back in action this weekend when they travel to Louisville, Kentucky, for a doubleheader against Spalding University on Saturday. First pitch for Game 1 is 11 a.m.