By: Josh Bruner, sports information assistant
April 25, 2009
LEXINGTON, Kentucky - The Bluffton University baseball team gave up three late runs in game one and say the Pioneers run away with the series-clincher, 18-4, on Saturday, April 25, 2009. The Beavers fell to 12-22 overall and 6-13 in the Heartland Conference while Transylvania improved to 19-13 with a 9-10 mark in the HCAC.
To start off the game for the Beavers Chris Bauman (Milford) reached on a bunt single to the pitcher. He then advanced to third on a failed pickoff. Cody McPherson (Northwood/Millbury Lake) drove in the run with a sacrifice fly to center field. Transylvania stuck with the Beavers by adding one in the first as well on an RBI single to center field.
While the Beavers were held scoreless in the second, Transylvania managed to add another three to the board with two singles, scoring one from a ground out to third then an inside the park home run. The Beavers came right back and added two more in the third . Bauman and McPherson each singled to start the rally with one out. Bauman scored on a base hit by Corey Conn (London). Brett Howard (Toledo/St. Francis) then drove in McPherson with a single to center field.
After a scoreless fourth inning for both teams the Beavers came back and added another three in the fifth to give them a 6-4 lead. The scoring was started by Howard driving in Bauman who was hit by a pitch and advanced on a wild pitch. Stephen Torres (Lima/Juan Diego) then brought in two runs with a single to center.
After holding the Beavers scoreless in the sixth, Transylvania added a home run to left center. Transylvania held the Beavers scoreless in the seventh and finished the game by scoring two in the seventh.
The Beavers were led by Bauman with two hits and three runs and Howard with two hits and two RBI. Torres also added two RBI and a hit. Conn and McPherson each added a hit and an RBI.
Matt Perkins (Convoy/Crestview) went six innings, allowing 10 hits and five runs with no walks and five strikeouts. Tyler Stephenson (Springfield/Northeastern) finished off the game for the Beavers and took the loss, allowing two hits and one run with one walk and two strikeouts.
Transylvania's Florence picked up the win, putting his record at 5-2 after allowing six runs on nine hits with six strikeouts and three walks.
Down 4-0 after three frames, Bluffton cut the deficit in half with two runs in the top of the fourth. McPherson led off with a single to second base and two outs later, he went to third on a Transy error. He scored on a wild pitch and Howard came around following a Mike Ramthun (Springfield/Southeastern) RBI single to left field which made it 4-2.
The Pioneers blew it wide open with nine runs on seven hits in the bottom of the fifth. Bluffton issued three passes and Transy made the Beavers pay as they bolted to a 13-2 lead after five.
Torres plated Conn with a fielder's choice in the sixth and Curtis Schroeder (Shelby) hit a solo homer to center field in the eighth, but Transy added three in the sixth and one run in both the seventh and eighth innings to take the series clincher by an 18-4 count.
McPherson, who fell to 2-5 with the loss, was the only Beaver to finish with two hits in the second game. Schroeder, Ramthun and Torres drove in runs for the Bluffton. Transylvania outhit the visitors by a 17-7 margin as the Pioneers finished the contest with 17 RBI.
Colyer gave Transy eight strong innings as he limited Bluffton to four runs, two earned, on seven hits while improving to 4-2 on the season. Biedron set Bluffton down in order in the ninth to end the game.
The Beavers host Oberlin College for a doubleheader on Thursday, April 30, at 2:30 PM before travelling to Franklin for their final series of the season next Friday, May 1.
-BEAVERS-