FULTON, MO – The Principia baseball team split its Saturday doubleheader at Westminster College to secure the program's first victory over the Blue Jays in ten years. After dropping the series opener on Friday, the Panthers responded with a commanding 13-6 win in game two of the series powered by timely hitting, a steady start from Ryan Kremer, and a strong closing effort by Charlie Reiss. Westminster took two of three in the series, but the victory by Principia was a huge step in the right direction as the team earned their second conference win of the season.
Game 1: Westminster 14, Principia 7
The Panthers showed offensive flashes in the series opener, collecting nine hits and seven runs, but Westminster pulled away with a big fifth inning capitalizing on several walks and errors. Principia homered twice with Kailis Mayo and Dean Wood each leaving the yard, and they briefly cut into the deficit with a three-run sixth inning. However, Westminster answered each surge and finished with 14 runs on 11 hits to secure the win.
Game 2: Principia 13, Westminster 6
After falling behind early in Saturday's opener, the Panthers jumped ahead with a three-run fourth inning, and then put the game away with a five-run eighth. Principia finished with 13 runs on 13 hits, drew seven walks, and repeatedly put pressure on Westminster's pitching.
Dean Wood delivered a breakout performance at the plate as he drove in three runs and ignited the offense from the middle of the lineup. Josh Dement also had a strong game with four hits, while Justice Fortson and Rat Mean each chipped in key RBI hits during decisive rallies.
Wood credited the offense's situational approach for the momentum swing: "My approach today was just to do a job, not doing too much just bat to ball while also trusting in my team to keep capitalizing on the opportunities we got. Once we started getting guys on base and putting pressure on the other team, the dugout energy took off."
On the mound, Ryan Kremer earned his first collegiate win with a gutsy start. The right-hander worked a season-high six innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs while keeping the Panthers in position to climb back into the game.
When asked about his performance, Kremer said his focus was on execution and trust in his preparation: "I had a good feel for all my pitches today. I was really just focused on going pitch by pitch and doing whatever I could to get outs and help the team. Getting my first collegiate win means a lot, especially after my freshman year and all the work I've put in. It's nice to see it paying off."
Once handed the lead for good, Charlie Reiss slammed the door, tossing three scoreless innings to secure the save and seal the long-awaited victory. Reiss said his approach never changed despite the moment. "Honestly I didn't try to make it bigger than it was. I approached this game like any other game, attack the hitters, trust my pitches and shut them down."
Game 3: Westminster 12, Principia 1
Westminster bounced back in the series finale, scoring early and often to pull away. A solo home run by Drake Stilwell accounted for Principia's lone run, while Westminster built a large cushion in the first three innings. Despite the loss, Principia reliever Koye Calzada provided a bright spot, limiting the Blue Jays to one hit over 3.2 innings of relief quieting the Blue Jay bats after a tough early stretch.
Next Up
Principia has one series left in the season as they return home to host Eureka College next weekend. Game one will be Friday at 6:30 PM, with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 2:00 PM. The Panthers will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday for their two seniors, Ethan Booth and Kailis Mayo.
