May 4, 2018
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team took advantage of the superb weather on the kick off to May Day weekend with a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Olivet College. With free admission going out to all students dressed as Star Wars characters, May the 4th be with you was a rousing success! Bluffton built up some much-needed momentum heading into Saturday's crucial Heartland Conference series with Transylvania. The Beavers are primed to compete for their first-ever berth in the HCAC tournament when the Pioneers come to town tomorrow!
Trailing 2-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth, a dropped popup to open the frame set the stage for three unearned runs and a 3-2 Bluffton advantage with four innings to play. Freshman Reid Ruhl (Hamilton) took advantage of a pair of Olivet miscues to break the ice with no outs. Adam Duncan's (Northwood/Lake) perfectly executed squeeze bunt plated Lenny Winiarski (Cincinnati/LaSalle) before Chase Lawniczak (Toledo/Whitmer) picked up Garrett O'Reilly (Galena/Orange) with his sacrifice fly to center for a 3-2 Bluffton lead.
The visitors knotted it up with a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth, but a two-out walk to Colin Gregory (Fremont/Clyde) paid dividends when he advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Ryan Golden (Findlay) followed with a ground ball to short that took a beautiful Beaver bounce, allowing Bluffton to go up 4-3. Mike Aman (Dublin/Coffman) did the rest, tossing consecutive perfect innings for a 4-3 Beaver victory.
Winiarski and Golden both spanked two hits for the victors. Freshman Hunter Mills (Etna/Watkins Memorial) gave the Beavers six solid frames, fanning four against just one walk, while allowing six hits. Aman allowed just one Comet to reach base over the final three innings, improving to 3-0 on the season.
Bluffton will be back at Memorial Field on Saturday, May 5, to wrap up the regular season with a noon doubleheader against Transylvania University. The Senior Day activities will take place prior to game one.
-BEAVERS-
