By: Brandy Bidlack, sports information assistant
March 24, 2009
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team headed north to Yellow Jacket country and knocked off Defiance, 2-1, on Tuesday, March 24, 2009. With the win, the Beavers improved to 8-8 on the season and 3-1 in the conference. The Yellow Jackets fell to 1-3 in the HCAC and 4-12 overall.
The Beavers broke the scoreless tie in the third inning with a run. Kyle Trainer (Mechanicsburg) singled and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt down the third base line from senior outfielder Mike Ramthun (Springfield/Southeastern). Trainer came home as the next batter, Corey Conn (London), singled, putting the Beavers up 1-0 in the top of the third inning.
In the top of the fifth, Ramthun drew a walk. After a fly out from Conn, Cody McPherson (Northwood/Millbury Lake) crushed the ball for a double, sending Ramthun across the plate as the Beavers took a 2-0 lead. The Yellow Jackets put up a run in the bottom of the ninth, but Bluffton held on as the Beavers pulled off their third conference win in four games.
Adrian Fritch (Edon) was solid on the mound, going 8.1 innings and limiting Defiance to just one run and six hits while fanning five Yellow Jacket batters. Relief pitcher Tyler Stephenson (Springfield/Northwestern) finished the job with one strikeout while picking up his second save of the season.
Cody McPherson went 2-for-4 in the contest, while Corey Conn, Mike Ramthun, Kyle Trainer, and Curtis Schroeder (Shelby) each added one safety.
The Bluffton University baseball team will return to action on Friday, March 27, when the Beavers host the Mt. St. Joseph Lions. The nine-inning game is slated for 4 p.m. at Memorial Field.