Junior Tyler Branneky continues his successful season with a broken season record in Tuesday's split with Principia College. The Westminster Blue Jays won game one, 8-1. Branneky finished with three RBIs to put his season count to 43, breaking the seven year-old record. Principia went on to hold the Blue Jays from scoring in game two, snapping their 11-game winning streak with the 8-0 loss. The Blue Jays are now 20-9 on the season and 15-5 in conference play.
Game One
The Blue Jays started the scoring in the top of the first with a RBI double by Ty. Branneky to score senior Cam Backes and a RBI single by senior Tim Chambliss to score Ty. Branneky.
The Blue Jays added three more runs in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead. With two on, junior A.C. Long hit to the pitcher who committed an error, and sophomore Connor Hager scored on the play. With one out in the inning, Backes singled to score freshman Nick Bohlmann and advance Long to third. Freshman Adam Mundle then came up and reached on a fielder's choice, but Long scored on the play. Mundle was caught stealing to get the third out.
The Blue Jays started off the fifth inning with a sophomore Tanner Branneky double. Mundle was walked, bringing junior Deion Hughes to the plate. Hughes hit a RBI double, scoring Ta. Branneky. Ty. Branneky then came to the plate and hit his eighth career triple to tie the Westminster career record and bring in two runs. The two RBIs broke the Westminster season record.
In the sixth inning, Principia brought in a run off a sacrifice flyout to right field.
The Blue Jays were held from scoring in the seventh inning, but in the bottom of the seventh, the Blue Jays held Principia to three quick outs to end the game.
Ty. Branneky and Backes each finished with two hits.
Junior Collin Brinker (3-2) grabbed the win from the mound. He pitched five innings and struck out eight while allowing just two hits. Senior Jake Rule came in as relief and pitched the remaining two innings. He struck out one.
Game Two
Game two remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning. Principia scored six runs in the fifth inning, including a grand slam.
In the bottom of the sixth, Principia scored again. In the eighth inning, they hit another homerun to take the 8-0 lead.
The Blue Jays were held to just one hit throughout the nine innings of play. The hit came from a single by Chambliss in the seventh inning.
Sophomore Seth Lehmen suffered the loss at the mound. He pitched the first 4.1 innings of the game and struck out five. Sophomore pitchers Jake Lund and Miller Bowles each came in as relief and struck out three.
The Blue Jays will close out their regular season with a home doubleheader versus Greenville College on Friday, May 1. First pitch is at 6:00 p.m.
