WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Westminster College baseball team lost both games against the Washington and Jefferson College Presidents in a doubleheader on Saturday. The Titans dropped game one, 4-2, before falling in extra innings in game two by a score of 7-6.
 
In the first game, Westminster (4-6, 2-6 PAC) fell behind W&J (10-0, 8-0 PAC) when the Presidents scored in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. The Presidents tacked on another run in the fifth, before Westminster scored its first run off of an RBI-single by graduate student Frank Cinicola (Cranberry Township, PA / Seneca Valley) to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Presidents scored two more runs in the bottom half of the sixth to make it 4-1. The Titans made it interesting with a run in the seventh and final inning, but W&J held on for the victory.
 
In the nightcap, W&J struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first inning (2-0). The Titans responded as graduate student Tyler Barnot (Pittsburgh, PA / Bethel Park) deposited a two-run home run (first career) into the left field bleachers to knot the game up at two after the top of the second. After both teams scored three runs a piece through the fourth inning (5-5), Westminster took the lead with an RBI-single by junior Sean Davis (Sharpsville, PA / Sharpsville) in the top of the fifth to take a 6-5 lead. The Titans held that lead until the ninth inning, where Westminster was just two outs away from taking game two from the Presidents. However, W&J utilized a sacrifice fly to score the tying run and send the game to extra innings, and the Presidents plated the winning run in the bottom of the tenth.
 
In game one, senior Paul Midili (Spring Hill, FL / Bishop Mclaughlin Catholic) shined with another solid performance, tossing six innings, scattering seven hits and four runs (two earned) while striking out three.
 
In game two, Westminster had three multi-hit performances, led by Barnot and first-year Logan Murgenovich (Aliquippa, PA / Central Valley), who each notched three hits, while Barnot scored two runs and tallied two RBIs (both team-highs). Junior Austin Webb (Wadsworth, OH / Wadsworth) also recorded two base knocks. First-year Logan Exler (Verona, PA / Serra Catholic) started on the mound, going three innings, giving up five hits and five runs (three earned). Classmate Kolton Banfi (Harrisville, PA / Franklin) had his best career appearance in relief, tossing 5.1 innings, giving up just two hits and one run while striking out five.
 
Westminster is back in action tomorrow at home for a doubleheader with the Presidents. Game one is slated for 1:30 p.m.