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carter hutsell
13
Westminster (MO) WESTMO 12-22
15
Winner Columbia (MO) COLUMBIA 29-11
Westminster (MO) WESTMO
12-22
13
Final
15
Columbia (MO) COLUMBIA
29-11
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Westminster (MO) WESTMO 0 0 5 0 3 0 5 0 0 13 14 0
Columbia (MO) COLUMBIA 1 3 3 5 0 3 0 0 X 15 9 2

W: Swift, Cooper (1-0) L: Tayden Harlow (0-1) S: Fields, Eric (3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Cougars Survive Blue Jay Comeback, Improve to 29-11 Behind Fields' Shutdown Relief

COLUMBIA, MO – Tyler Renn and Joey Marcinkiewicz each launched home runs, the Cougars weathered a furious late rally, and closer Eric Fields locked down the final two-plus innings as Columbia College survived a thriller against Westminster College in non-conference action Wednesday evening at Battle High School, 15-13. With the win, the Cougars improve to 29-11 overall and 17-3 in American Midwest Conference play.

Renn set the tone immediately, leading off the bottom of the first with a solo home run to put the Cougars on the board. Columbia kept the pressure on in the second as Marcinkiewicz deposited one over the fence for another solo shot before Zac Fruend doubled to left field to score two more, pushing the lead to 4-0.

Westminster answered in a big way in the third, plating five runs — capped by a Joshua Ramos home run and a Cameron Schlegl RBI single — to take a 5-4 lead. The Cougars responded immediately in the bottom of the frame, however. Jack Dunn singled to score Marcinkiewicz and then scored himself on a wild pitch, and Jack Hotze followed with an RBI single to push Columbia back in front, 7-5.

The fourth inning proved to be the decisive blow. Batting around against multiple Westminster pitchers, Columbia sent seven to the plate and scored five times to blow the game open, 12-5. Dunn delivered again with a two-RBI sacrifice fly before back-to-back walks and two more free passes forced in runs to cap the frame.

Westminster refused to fold. The Blue Jays trimmed the deficit to four with a three-run fifth on a Schlegl three-run homer, and then exploded for three more in the sixth on a wild pitch and a Marcinkiewicz two-RBI single — his second big hit of the night — restored the Cougar cushion to 15-8. But Westminster kept charging. In the seventh, a Ramos ground-rule double and an Aden Pecka two-RBI single highlighted a five-run frame that pulled the Blue Jays to within 15-13 and suddenly made things very interesting.

Columbia turned to Fields to slam the door, and he delivered. The veteran closer retired all seven batters he faced over the final 2.1 innings, striking out three and allowing just two baserunners to earn his third save of the season and preserve the two-run victory.

Marcinkiewicz was the offensive standout, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, three RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base. Renn finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Dunn went 1-for-4 with a sacrifice fly, three RBI and a run scored, while Dylan Carlton drew three walks and scored once. Ian Nolph reached base five times — two walks and three hit by pitches — and scored three runs.

Carter Hutsell got the start and worked 2.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Cooper Swift (1-0) earned the win in relief, tossing 2.1 innings and stranding inherited runners. Fields closed it out in dominant fashion.

Statistical Leaders: Columbia def. Westminster, 15-13

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