The Westminster baseball team split with Iowa Wesleyan in the series finale, bringing them to 23-12 on the season with a 14-6 conference record and an 8-4 division record. The Blue Jays won game one, 13-6, and senior Tyler Branneky broke the season RBI record with his first at bat. Iowa Wesleyan came from behind in game two and grabbed an 8-6 ten inning win.
Game One
With one runner on, Ty. Branneky hit a two run homer over the right center fence to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning. His two RBIs broke his previously held season record with 46. In the second inning, sophomore Adam Mundle hit a two RBI double, followed by a RBI double from senior Deion Hughes to take a 5-0 lead.
The Blue Jays put up seven runs in the third, giving them a 12-0 advantage. After singles from junior Nick Cessna and sophomore Nick Bohlmann, junior Tanner Branneky knocked a double up the middle to score Cessna. Sophomore Blake Strebler and Hughes then hit RBI singles to score Mundle and Strebler, and Iowa Wesleyan walked in the final two runs of the inning.
Strebler scored the final run for the Blue Jays with a solo shot over the right center fence in the fourth inning.
Iowa Wesleyan brought in a run in the top of the seventh on a ground out RBI to end the game with a 13-1 win.
The Blue Jays out-hit Iowa Wesleyan 14-4 with six extra base hits. Senior Nolan Bax went 2-for-2 from the plate with two sacrifice hits. Mundle, Ta. Branneky, and Strebler each went 2-for-3, while Mundle and Strebler finished with three RBI.
Hughes (10-1) grabbed the win on the mound. He pitched five innings, faced 18 batters and struck out five. Junior Seth Lehmen and freshman Alex Dickneite each pitched an inning in relief.
Game Two
Iowa Wesleyan took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a two run shot over right center. The Blue Jays scored two in the second with Hughes' RBI single up the middle to tie the game, but Iowa Wesleyan scored on a passed ball in the third to take a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Cessna hit a RBI single up the middle to score Hager and tie the game back up at 3-3.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Blue Jays tacked on three more runs to take a 6-3 lead. Mundle doubled down the left field line, scoring Strebler, and Hughes cleaned up the bases with a two run homer over right center.
Iowa Wesleyan scored one run in the eighth and two in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 6-6. The Blue Jays were unable to score in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game into extra innings.
In the top of the 10th, Iowa Wesleyan put a two run shot over right field to take an 8-6 lead. The Blue Jays were held from scoring in the bottom of the inning, ending the game with an 8-6 loss.
Despite the loss, the Blue Jay offense out-hit Iowa Wesleyan 11-10. Strebler went 3-for-5 from the plate with two runs scored.
Cessna (2-1) was credited with the loss on the mound. He pitched the final 2.0 innings of the game and struck out three. Ta. Branneky started on the mound and pitch 6.0 innings with five strikeouts. Senior Justin Riggins pitched 2.0 innings and struck out two.
The Blue Jays were scheduled to close out their regular season on Saturday, May 7, with a home doubleheader versus Spalding University, but the game date and time are TBD due to graduation.
