NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (May 6) – The Waynesburg University baseball team traveled up to Westminster to begin a crucial three-game series with the Titans. The Yellow Jackets out-slugged their hosts to earn a 13-8 win.
 
With the victory, Waynesburg (15-22, 13-9) stayed in the hunt for a spot in the four-team Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) tournament. The Jackets also snapped the Titans' (9-26, 6-16) seven-game winning streak.
 
The Waynesburg offense put together maybe its most impressive showing of 2016. The Jackets piled up a season-high 18 hits and blasted a season-best three homeruns as part of five extra-base hits. Every Orange and Black batter recorded at least one base hit and/or drove in at least one run. Eight of the nine Jacket hitters scored at least once.
 
The visiting team wasted no time in getting the offense rolling by plating four runs in the top of the first inning.  Ironically, senior first baseman Matt Bensinger, who was the only Jacket batter not to record a hit, opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly that plated sophomore left fielder Tyler Godwin. Three batters later, junior right fielder Luke Carter singled in freshman second baseman Tyler Reis and junior designated hitter Jonathon Kletzli to extend his team's lead to 3-0. Carter closed the productive frame by sprinting home following a single by junior catcher Ben Miller.
 
Westminster cut into the lead with a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning. The Jackets answered the challenge with a second-inning RBI single by Godwin that made the score 5-3. The Titans fired back once again, this time with a two-spot in their half of the second that tied the score 5-5. However, Waynesburg was just about ready to take firm control of the conference tilt.
 
The Orange and Black recorded its second four-run inning of the day in the third. Junior shortstop Nathan Mori gave his team the lead back with a run-scoring single. Godwin followed with a two-run base knock and Kletzli capped the productive frame with an RBI single that grew the Jacket advantage to 9-5.
 
Inning number six saw the beginning of Waynesburg's power surge as Carter teed off on a leadoff homerun. Two batters later, Bernhardt belted a two-run shot that plated Miller and made the score 12-5. Kletzli capped the Jacket scoring with a one-out, one-run homer in the seventh.
 
Despite falling into an eight-run hole, Westminster didn't give up the fight and plated three runs in the eighth on its second three-run bomb of the day. However, the Jacket bullpen was able to slam the door on the comeback try and close out the victory.
 
Carter recorded arguably his best offensive day of the season by going four-for-five with a double, a homer, three RBI and three runs scored. Godwin and Kletzli chipped in three hits each to the winning effort and combined for five RBI and three runs scored.
 
Junior lefty Parker Beatty was easily the most successful pitcher for either team and was rewarded with win. Beatty came out of the bullpen in the second and proceeded to work 5.1 scoreless innings on the mound. He allowed just a hit and two walks, while striking out three Westminster batters. Junior Scott Hefty closed out the victory by allowing just a hit and a walk over 1.2 scoreless frames.
 
The same two teams close out the regular season on Sunday when they play a seven-inning doubleheader in Waynesburg. The Jackets need at least one win to stay mathematically eligible for the PAC postseason.