Baseball Starts Season 2-0

Fulton, Mo. – The Westminster baseball team opened their season with a doubleheader versus the University of Dubuque on Friday, March 7. The Westminster Blue Jays defeated the Dubuque Spartans 2-0 in game one and 5-2 in game two, grabbing a 2-0 record to start the season.

Senior Andy Pichler started the Blue Jays’ offense off with a double in the first inning. The Blue Jays went up 1-0 after sophomore Deion Hughes hit a single RBI, bringing in Pichler. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, freshman Tanner Branneky stepped up to the plate and cracked the ball over right field for his first collegiate home run, putting the Blue Jays up 2-0. They held Dubuque from scoring and grabbed the 2-0 win.

Sophomore Will Miller was credited as the winning pitcher; he pitched the complete game, struck out seven and did not allow a run.

The Blue Jays started off game two in the second inning. Junior Tyler Branneky walked and advanced to second off senior Danton Hughes’ single. They both advanced on junior Tim Chambliss’s bunt and scored with freshman Mike Washington’s single, putting the Blue Jays up 2-0.

In the third inning, sophomore Jacob Holtgraewe, Deion Hughes and Chambliss hit doubles, resulting in Holtgraewe and De. Hughes scoring. Washington led off the fourth inning with his first collegiate home run over left field, bringing the Blue Jays up 5-0.

Dubuque led off the seventh inning with two home runs, bringing the game to 5-2, but the Blue Jays were able to pull through the inning with no further damage. The Blue Jays held Dubuque from scoring and were unable to score again themselves, ending the game with the 5-2 win.

De. Hughes was credited with the win after pitching six innings, allowing no runs and striking out six. Sophomore Collin Brinker closed out the game on the mound, earning the save.

The Blue Jays host Lincoln University for a doubleheader on Monday, March 10. First game starts at 12:00 p.m.