Westminster Baseball Clinches SLIAC Tournament Berth

Westminster Baseball Clinches SLIAC Tournament Berth

FULTON, Mo. - Westminster baseball clinched a SLIAC Tournament berth in the last regular season game of the year in a 10-3 win over Eureka. 

The Blue Jays close the season with a 19-11 regular season record and a 14-8 conference record, just edging out Fontbonee for the No. 2 spot in the West. 

Westminster got the offense started on a solo home run from Nick Cessna, his second of the year. 

Nick Bohlmann added another run with an RBI single up the middle to score Adam Mundle

In the fourth, the Red Devils took a run back but Westminster maintained their 3-1 lead. 

The Blue Jays added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Blake Strebler and a single from Will Stonecipher

Westminster exploded to dramatically extend its lead in the sixth and eighth innings. In the sixth, Strebler and Tanner Branneky added two RBI on sacrifice flies. 

A four-run eighth inning started on a run from Stonecipher reaching on an error to score Strebler. Ryan Gvillo then stepped up to the plate and blasted a three-run home run to score Stonecipher and Branneky. 

Eureka added a third run in the ninth, but Westminster maintained it's strong lead on three solid innings from relief pitcher Justin Riggins

Hayden Wallace earned the win for Westminster, pitching 5.2 innings and giving up just two runs on six hits. 

Westminster advances to the SLIAC Tournament to face the No. 1 seed in the East division, Greenville. The game is set for Thursday at 2 p.m.