Westminster's home runs doom Griffins in doubleheader

Fulton, Mo. - Fontbonne baseball opened 2016 conference play against West Division foes Westminster College. The Griffins fell in both games and are now 3-8 overall while Westminster increases to 6-4. 

Game One

It was a pitcher's dual in the first conference divisional matchup with Vince Santarsiero taking the starting for Fontbonne and Deion Hughes on the mound for Westminster. Santarsiero struck out seven and allowed just three hits in six innings of work. The junior threw 97 pitches on 24 batters including 60 strikes.

Patrick Shuff and Zach Carel were the only Griffins to get on base by hits with Ben Greenway earning a walk. Westminster's only run came from a home run to right in the bottom of the fourth. 

Game two

Tanner Carter struck out two in the first inning before allowing Tanner Branneky to hit his first home run of the game. Fellow Blue Jay Nick Cessna hit a bomb two at-bats later to give Westminster a 2-0 lead. Carter closed out the inning with two more strikeouts. 

Once again Fontbonne went 1-2-3 before Branneky homered once more, this time with a runner on base. In the fourth, the Griffins first two batters got on base with singles but couldn't cross the plate. After a scoreless fourth and fourth, Fontbonne freshman Aaron Boyer was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on Ethan Boyer's single. With two outs (from strikeouts) Zach Carel hit to the shortstop and a throwing error allowed Aaron to score for the Griffins' first run. 

Carter opened the sixth with a walk followed by a two-run home run after which Joey Clemente was called to the mound. Clemente struck out two of seven in two innings of work. Anders Nelson came in for the Griffins to close out the game. 

Spencer Sander pinch hit for the Griffins in the top of the ninth and reached base on an error. Sander advanced to second on a wild pitch and reached third when pinch hitter Nick Kenny hit a fly ball to right field. Catcher Justin Marks singled to right to score the final run of the game. 

Fontbonne will try to escape the sweep when they host the Blue Jays at 3 p.m. at Shaw Park on Tuesday, March 15th.