April 23, 2009

ADA, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team fell victim to a superb Brian Hill pitching performance in Ohio Northern's 7-3 victory over the Beavers on Thursday, April 23, 2009. Bluffton dipped to 11-20 on the season while ONU upped its 2009 mark to 14-18.

The Polar Bears scored all of their runs in the second and third innings, chasing Bluffton starter Jesse Brown (Brookville) who surrendered all seven ONU runs. Matt Hampshire led off the bottom of the second with a solo shot to left. A Loren Fleischman single followed by a Mike Hoelzel double down the left field line made it 2-0 before Justin Good's sacrifice fly gave ONU a quick 3-0 lead.

The home team plated four more runs in the third to take a commanding 7-0 lead over the Beavers. Brett Katana tripled home Matt Rader before a walk to Hampshire put two runners on for Fleischman who delivered a three-run homer to left center, completing the scoring for the Polar Bears.

Bluffton cut into the deficit with a pair of fourth inning runs. With one out, Cody McPherson (Northwood/Millbury Lake) was hit by a Hill pitch and Brennan Bauman (Milford) followed with a two-run dinger to right field, making it 7-2.

Freshman Nick Broyles (Toledo/Whitmer) was hit by pitch to start the sixth and he went to second on a Chris Bauman (Milford) sacrifice bunt. McPherson's single put runners on the corners and a double steal made the score 7-3 when Broyles crossed the dish.

Hill continued to keep the Bluffton hitters off balance, going the distance whle improving to 5-5 on the season with his complete game win.

Broyles went 2-of-2 and scored a run while Brennan Bauman's homer provided the other two scores for Bluffton. Jesse Brown fell to 0-1 before Kelly Barnes (Toledo/Christian) came on and worked five scoreless frames to give the Beavers a chance.

Bluffton returns to the diamond on Friday, April 24, for the first contest of a three-game set at HCAC foe Transylvania University. The first pitch is slated for 4 p.m. in Lexington, Kentucky.

-BEAVERS-