March 11, 2009
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - Muskingum College set the tone with back-to-back extra base hits in the top of the first en route to a dominating 10-2 win over Bluffton University at the VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe on Wednesday, March 11, 2009. The Beavers scored a single run in the fourth and another in the bottom of the ninth while falling to 5-6 on the season.
Muskingum opened the contest with a pair of runs in the top of the first thanks to a leadoff triple and a Hardcastle double to right center. Another triple in the top of the third inning set the stage for two more Muskingum scores, making it 4-0 in favor of the visitors on the scoreboard.
Senior Mike Ramthun (Springfield/Southeastern) drove a VanMeter offering over the wall in right for a fouth inning solo homer, cutting the deficit to three runs.
The Fighting Muskies took advantage of four hits each in both the seventh and eighth innings to put the game on ice, 10-1, midway through the eighth.
A Greg Bergstedt (Napoleon/Patrick Henry) groundout plated senior Curtis Schroeder (Shelby) who led off the ninth with a triple to the gap in right center, but that was the end of the scoring as Muskingum moved to 7-3 on the year with the 10-2 victory.
Adrian Fritch (Edon) was saddled with the loss after giving up four runs on eight hits in four innings of work. James Hausman (Milford) fanned six in 2.2 innings of relief.
Seven Beavers hit safely in the loss, but Muskingum pounded out 17 hits, including five for extra bases.
Bluffton returns to action on Saturday, March 14, when the Beavers host Davenport University at Memorial Field. The first game of the twin-bill is slated for 1 p.m.