March 4, 2014

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Runs went on the board with reckless abandon in the first four innings, but it was a pair of Bluffton scores in the eighth that proved to be the difference as the Beavers stunned Moravian College, 9-7, on Tuesday, March 4, 2014. The Greyhounds were coming off wins over nationally ranked #25 Adrian College and #17 Keystone as well as a sweep of Heidelberg. Bluffton improved to 2-1 on the season, while Moravian dropped to 5-2.

The Beavers went up 2-0 in the first thanks to a Moravian error, a wild pitch and a Luke Hickey (Toledo/Whitmer) RBI single. Moravian answered right back with a pair of unearned runs, making the score 2-2 after the first frame.

Junior Michael Alexander (Monroe) doubled home Christian Vail (Lucas) in the second and then he crossed the dish when David Ianiro (Highland Heights/Mayfield) grounded out.

Moravian tried to put its stamp on the game with four runs in the bottom of the third for a 6-4 lead, however, Alexander put another jolt into the Greyhounds with a two-run triple and 7-6 lead an inning later. Moravian knotted the score with two hits and a run in the home half before the pitching took over for both teams.

Vail got it done with an RBI triple in the bottom of the eighth. Jeff Roth's (Bellevue) single capped the scoring as Bluffton showed it has the tools to compete with anyone as the Beavers finished off Moravian by a 9-7 count.

Alexander paced the Bluffton bats, going 2-of-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Roth added two hits and Vail scored twice. Brad Schlabach (Fredericksburg/Hiland) worked four innings of shutout relief for the victory. He struck out two and allowed just three hits. Dyson Bowman (Coshocton) worked the final two outs of the eighth before Ianiro came in from left field to earn the save.

Bluffton will enjoy the day off on Wednesday before playing a doubleheader with St. Mary's on Thursday, March 6. The first game is slated to start at 12 p.m.

-BEAVERS-