3/9/2026 Eureka, IL – The Westminster Blue Jays opened conference play on the road against Eureka College, continuing their month-long road trip to begin their season. Despite the Blue Jays' rough 4-8 start, they showed glimpses of their undeniable offense and pitching upside, though their record reflects inconsistent execution, not their ability. They would need to execute to their potential in hopes of changing the outcome that the Eureka Red Devils handed them a year ago: a sweep at their home field. 

 

 

Senior Troy Romero had a phenomenal 2025 season for the Jays. The second-team all-conference shortstop hit well over .350 and helped carry a young Blue Jay offense. The one thing he lacked in his 13 extra-base hit season, though, was a home run.  

 

In the Blue Jays' first at-bat of conference play, Romero changed that, sending one out, giving Westminster a 1-0 lead. A Caleb Warren RBI single later in the inning increased the lead to two.  

 

Eureka would fight back against starter Jack Page, scoring three runs to take a 3-2 lead. That lead would not last long; the Blue Jays' offense would dominate Eureka's pitching from there on out. An Aden Pecka single would tie things up, and Braden Eye would follow in the next inning with an RBI double to continue his scorching hot start to the season.  

 

The bats exploded for seven runs from the 4th to the 6th innings, taking a commanding 10-3 lead. Caleb Warren added the performance of his career, going 5-6 with four RBIs, and playing a huge role in the offense's masterclass. 

 

 The pitching backed up the offense through most of the game. Page found his rhythm and didn't give up another run the rest of his five-inning outing. Dawson Willard picked him up, pitching 2.2 innings of shutout ball until the Eureka bats got to him, scoring three runs all with two outs in the eighth, putting them right back in the game.  

 

Tayden Harlow entered the game in the 9th looking to put an end to the late-game heroics and seal the win. The Red Devils had different plans, however, scoring four runs, bringing the game to a save situation. Head coach Jake Jourdain called upon freshman Maddox Christenberry to put out the fire and get the final out. He did just that with a strikeout, cementing a conference opener win for the Jays.  

 

 

The hot bats did not slow down in the second game of the Sunday doubleheader. The Blue Jays went to work, putting up four runs in the second inning and adding nine more runs from the fifth inning on. The bats were backed by great performances from Braeden Eye (3-5, 2 RBIs), Troy Romero (2-4, RBI), and Joshua Ramos, who hit the first homer of his career.  

 

While the offense's 13-run onslaught was impressive, the story of the game belonged to senior Derek Archer. Archer had struggled mightily through his first handful of starts this season and was a shadow of his usual all-conference self. On Sunday evening, however, he returned to form. Archer went six innings without giving up an earned run and striking out six Red Devils.  

 

The stellar performance earned Archer SLIAC Pitcher of the Week honors. The Blue Jays' combination of offensive dominance and strong pitching earned them a commanding 13-3 win and their first conference series win.  

 

 

After entering several series finales this season, hoping to avoid the sweep, the Jays found themselves on the other side this time: one game away from sweeping their first conference series of the season.  

 

The finale brought more of the same offensive power. After trading runs in the first inning, Westminster's bats continued to have their way with Eureka's pitching. In the second inning alone, the Jays collected five runs, then did it again in the fourth, and scored three and four runs in the eighth and ninth, respectively.  

 

Timely hitting and powerful performances defined the Monday getaway game for the Jays. Braden Eye was the epitome of both. He drove in three, going a perfect 5-for-5, with a homer. Complementing his efforts were multi-hit efforts from Brett Montgomery, James Dolley, Beno Ballard, and Donovan Bohler.   

 

Colyn Wright would get the win out of the bullpen, pitching 3.2 innings, giving up two runs. The Blue Jays only needed seven innings to get the 18-5 mercy rule win and complete the sweep.  

 

A tough out-of-conference start raised plenty of concerns. For the first twelve games, the Blue Jays struggled to piece together hits with their strong lineup and to get long, high-quality outings from their pitching. Those problems, however, were erased in their first three conference games. Westminster outscored Eureka 44-18 in the series, and with pitching performances like Derek Archer's game two outing, the Jays have plenty to feel good about going into the rest of conference play.