Westminster stuns Fontbonne in first doubleheader conference loss since 2010

Fulton, Mo. - Westminster stunned Fontbonne softball this evening with a walk-off home run in game one to end a 34-game win streak for the Griffins against conference opponents. Westminster returned and handed Fontbonne another loss. The four-year Griffin seniors have lost only three SLIAC games in their career.

The loss also snaps a 20-game win streak against Westminster that dates back to 2007. This marks the first time the Griffins have lost more than one SLIAC game in a season since 2010 and the first doubleheader conference loss since April 21, 2010 when the Griffins fell to Webster.

Game one

Smith and Cooksey team up for the Griffins' first two runs. Cooksey walked and stole second in the first and came home on Smith's single up the middle. In the third, Cooksey singled and stole second once again as Modglin hit to third and she snuck in to the corner. With two runners in scoring position, Smith came through once again as she hit a sacrifce fly to tie the game.

Westminster took the lead in the bottom half of the first after Leonard hit Baker and Tepen homered. In the third, Leonard walked a Blue Jay when Perrigo hit a three-run shot to left to give Westminster a 5-2 advantage.

In the fourth, Melanie Russo got to first as the leadoff batter. Kayla Winkler pinch ran for the first baseman and got home on Alleigh Kruse's hit to left that rolled to the wall. Kruse was out at third as the Griffins trailed 5-3. Thomas hit a solo homer to right for her first collegiate bomb and the Griffins' 15th overall. Fontbonne trailed by one after four innings.

Fontbonne's defense took down Westminster in order in the bottom half of the fourth before Smith's solo shot to left tied the game. Leonard then faced the top of the order in the Blue Jay lineup and got out of the inning with a strikeout, stranding Blue Jays at first and third.

Fontbonne stranded Kedroski at third in the sixth. Leonard got out of a jam in the sixth as she assisted on the slap bunt for the final out at first. Leonard walked the eventual winning leadoff run as Baker hit a walkoff home run in the bottom of the seventh for the 7-5 Blue Jay victory.

All seven Blue Jay runs came off home runs.

Game two

After entering the doubleheader without a home run, Thomas hit her second long-ball of the day, this time a three-run shot to left to take a 3-2 lead in the second inning. Westminster then plated four runs in the sixth to lead 6-3.

Fontbonne rallied for a run with two outs in the fifth to trail by two. Pitcher Michelle Boyer ended the fifth with a strike on the outside corner to strand two Blue Jays. Westminster followed up a doubleplay in the sixth and scored an insurance run after their leadoff hitter was called safe at first, which was contested by head coach Bill Rosner. She advanced to third on two wild pitches and scored on a hit down the third base line. The Blue Jays seem to pull the ball and put runners on second and third with a double to left. Westminster lofted their final home run of the night for a three-run homer to lead 10-4.

Thomas walked to start the seventh and she stole second before Sam Brown advanced her to third on a groundout. Thomas scored the final run on a groundout by Cooksey.

Smith went two-of-three in game one with three RBI's and a run scored. Kruse also connected on two of three attempts and recorded one RBI. On the night, Thomas went two-of-five with two home runs, four RBI's, three runs scored and a stolen base. Cooksey stole three times while Kedroski stole twice.

Fontbonne freshman Emelia Modglin extends her hit streak to 10 games while Smith is right behind her with nine.

For Westminster, Perrigo needed her defense's help to win the game as zero Griffins struck out in game two. Her only walk occurred in the seventh against Thomas.

Fontbonne hosts Blackburn College this Friday, April 15th at 4:30 p.m. in a doubleheader at ABC Ball Park.