February 28, 2018
By: Colton Steiner, sports information assistant
DELAWARE, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team rallied with three runs in the ninth for an 11-9 victory at Ohio Wesleyan on Wednesday, Feb. 28. Bluffton will take a 1-0 mark to Fort Myers, Fla., when the Beavers hit the field again on Sunday, March 4.
Bluffton got on the board early after a COLIN GREGORY (Fremont/Clyde) RBI double put the visitors up 1-0 in the top of the first. However, Ohio Wesleyan would answer with two runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 2-1.
After a scoreless second, a 3-run homer by RYAN GOLDEN (Findlay) put the Beavers back on top, 4-2. They made it 5-2 when JACOB LATKOFSKY (Temperance, Mich./Ida) scored on a Bryce Fink (Medina) groundout.
A six-run fourth inning for the Bishops allowed the home team to take an 8-5 lead as the teams headed to the fifth inning. The score remained 8-5 until the seventh when Bluffton plated three following a bases-clearing two-bagger from pinch hitter JON DOERING (Constantine, Mich./Constantine), tying the game at 8-8.
Ohio Wesleyan took advantage of an RBI double for a 9-8 lead after eight frames. In the top of the ninth, the Beavers would tie the game up 9-9 following a Ryan Golden gap shot to left center that scored DENNIS SZALAI (LeGrange/Keystone) from second. Bluffton added two more runs after a two-run single by Jacob Latkofsky made it 11-9 in favor of the visitors. BRANTLEY CURNUTTE (Hilliard/Davidson) came back out for the bottom of the ninth and fanned two batters in the home half as the Beavers capped off a win in their 2018 lidlifter!
Ryan Golden led the Bluffton offense, driving in four on two hits. Freshman Jacob Latkofsky went 3-for-5 to go along with two RBIs in his first collegiate outing. Colin Gregory was 2-of-4 and crossed the dish three times. Szalai drew four free passes, tying the school record, and scored four runs for the Beavers. The visitors smacked 10 hits in their first outing, one more than Ohio Wesleyan.
Nine Beavers would head to the mound as Brantley Curnutte collected the victory following two innings of work. He struck out two batters, walked one and allowed one run on one hit.
Next up for the Beavers is the sunny state of Florida as they will face off against Thiel on Sunday, March 4, at 9 a.m to get the week started. You can keep up to date on all of Bluffton's games during the week on www.blufftonbeavers.com and on Twitter @Bluffton_sports.
-BEAVERS-