Westminster Christian blanks St. Edward

Though they've already endured more injuries this season than coach Jeff Moeller has experienced in eight seasons combined and though they are still missing two starting outfielders, the Westminster Christian baseball team looked healthy and primed in a 10-0 thrashing of St. Edward in a five-inning nonconference game under the lights at Trout Park in Elgin Wednesday night.

The Warriors struck for 4 runs in the first inning, 2 in the second, 3 in the third and added a run in the fifth to breach the 10-run threshold.

Ten runs were an embarrassment of riches for Warriors sophomore pitcher Kevin Elder. The right-hander threw a changeup-curve hybrid and fastballs from multiple arm angles to limit the Green Wave to 2 hits.

"It's a lot easier to pitch with a lead," said Elder, who struck out five to improve to 4-3. "We played good defense again tonight, and we've not been doing that too well. And we had good hitting."

Four of the first five batters reached base for Westminster Christian (16-6) against Wave starting pitcher John Godfrey (1-3). Ryan Perez singled home the first run, Frank Oliver drove Perez home with a double and No. 5 hitter Joe McGannon laced the first pitch of his at-bat over the fence in center for a home run that made it 4-0.

"Any time I see a fastball first pitch I go real hard after it, and that's what I saw," McGannon said. "It just worked out."

St. Edward (10-11) fell behind 6-0 in the second inning, when Will Woodhouse drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and McGannon drew a bases-loaded walk.

Perez (4-for-4, 4 RBI) chased Godfrey with a 2-run double in the third that bulged the lead to 9-0, and Elder shut the door with his mid-eighties fastball.

"He's one of the best we've seen all year," St. Edward coach Gene Belmonte said of Elder. "And we get to see him for two more years, which is unfortunate. He obviously threw the ball very, very well.

"We've been struggling with the bats for the last couple of weeks, and the last thing we needed was to see a top-notch pitcher like this on top of it. It's prolonged our miseries, but we've got to come up with some better at-bats."

Luke Duffy's double in the fourth inning was the only hard hit Elder allowed. Zach Brewster bunted for a hit in the first inning.

Brandon Weingartner went 4-for-4 with a double and 3 runs scored despite playing with a sore back for Westminster. Perez ended the game in the bottom of the fifth with an opposite-field single to right with two outs and the bases loaded.