LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Westminster baseball lost two games to Spalding by a combined total of three runs, narrowly missing a win against the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference leader.
The Blue Jays fall to 9-10 overall and 5-5 overall with the losses.
Westminster scored first in game one on an RBI from Hayden Hirschvogel to score Branden Beeler, taking a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning. Spalding quickly evened the score in the bottom of the second with a solo home run, but another two RBI hit scored two more runs in the bottom of the second to make the score 3-1.
Hirschvogel added another RBI with a sacrifice in the third along with a grounder from Will Stonecipher to score Ryan Clavin, putting Westminster back in the game with a tie at three runs apiece.
Spalding added their final three runs, two in the third and one in the fifth, to take the 6-3 lead. Hirschvogel added his third RBI of the game to keep the Blue Jays in contention with a single through the left side to again score Beeler, but it wasn't enough to give Westminster the lead and Spalding took the win 6-4.
Ethan Rackers took the loss on the mound after pitching five innings, giving up three runs on three hits.
Game two was just as close, as the Blue Jays eventually took the loss 9-8. Westminster again took an early lead in the first inning on RBI from Stonecipher and Ryan Klimkiewicz, taking an early 2-0 lead. Spalding answered in the bottom of the inning with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first, but Westminster maintained the lead after one inning.
A Ryan Clavin single scored Zach Eisenreich in the second to take a 3-1 lead, but the Golden Eagles matched the three runs of Westminster in the third.
Westminster took back the lead with a two RBI double in fourth from Klimkiewicz to take the 5-3 lead, but a four-run fifth inning from Spalding gave the Golden Eagles the 7-5 lead.
Eisenreich continued his hitting streak his a double to score two runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game back at seven runs apiece, scoring Michael Skinner and Tyler Bise. Clavin scored Eisenreich with a single to take the lead 8-7 in the bottom of the seventh.
Spalding eventually earned the walkoff win in the bottom of the ninth with a single to score two runs to take the win.
Braden Beaseley took the loss on the mound after taking over for Alex Dickneite, pitching 3.1 innings, giving up two runs on three hits, including the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth.
Westminster continues conference play Wednesday against Blackburn. The two-game series starts at 1 p.m.
