Branneky and Hughes Set Westminster Career Marks
Two career records fell as the Westminster baseball team took two games from Robert Morris University-Peoria in Saturday afternoon's doubleheader. Senior Deion Hughes broke the career strikeouts (pitching) record and senior Tyler Branneky broke the total bases record. The Westminster Blue Jays won the games with final scores of 4-1 and 3-2, bringing their season record to 8-5.
Game One
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| Deion Hughes |
The Robert Morris Eagles led-off the game with a home run over the right center fence to take a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the first, junior Connor Hager hit a sacrifice fly out to center field, bringing in sophomore Adam Mundle to tie up the game.
In the bottom of the third, the Blue Jays added three more runs. The Eagles' pitcher balked with bases loaded and senior Tyler Branneky up to bat, bringing in Mundle and moving the runners to second and third. Ty. Branneky then hit a ball to third, and an error led two runs to score.
The Blue Jays were able to record just one more hit in the next three innings, ending the game with a 4-1 win.
Senior Deion Hughes, Mundle and Hager each recorded a hit.
Hughes (5-0) grabbed the win on the mound. He pitched five innings and struck out seven, while allowing one run. Junior Tanner Branneky earned the save on the mound after pitching two innings and holding the Eagles from scoring another run.
Game Two
The Blue Jays scored first in game two with a junior Nick Cessna RBI double to left field in the
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| Tyler Branneky |
bottom of the first to score Hughes.
In the top of the third, the Eagles scored off a RBI single to left field, tying the game at 1-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Blue Jays took a 3-1 lead after Hager hit a RBI single to center field to score Mundle. Hughes advanced to third on the play, and then scored on a throwing error by the center fielder.
In the top of the sixth, the Eagles brought in one run off a double, but the inning came to a close on the next batter with a line drive to right field.
The Blue Jays were unable to score in the bottom of the sixth and left two on base. In the top of the seventh, the Eagles put two runners on with one out, but a double play by Mundle at shortstop, Hager at second and Cessna at first ended the game with a 3-2 win.
Hager went 2-for-3 from the plate with one RBI. Mundle, Hughes and Cessna each recorded one hit.
Senior Collin Brinker (2-2) recorded the complete game win. He pitched seven innings, faced 31 batters and struck out six.
STORY COURTESY OF WESTMINSTER COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE
