BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team held off Albion 4-3 on Tuesday, March 19, in the 2019 home opener at Memorial Field. Bluffton improved to 6-7 on the season, while Albion dropped below .500 at 4-5 overall.
With Parker Reynolds (Avon) and Cale Sherbourne (Johnstown/Big Walnut) both in scoring postion, freshman Jeff Strayer (Columbus/Thomas Worthington) gashed a two-run double to left center that made it 2-0 Bluffton in the fourth inning.
The Beavers were clinging to a 2-1 lead into the eighth when pinch hitter Alex Lemanski (Miamisburg) delivered a two-bagger to left center that plated Sherbourne and Colin Gregory (Fremont/Clyde) for what turned out to be two critical insurance runs when the Britons strung together three straight hits, making it 4-3 with the tying run on second and just one out in the ninth. Junior Tommy Siemer (Liberty Township/Lakota East) wrapped it up with a ground ball and flyout for his first save of the season.
Sherbourne went 2-of-3 and scored two runs. Lemanski and Strayer drove in two runs apiece. Senior Dante D'Andrea (Westerville/North) improved to 2-1 after allowing one run on three hits in three innings of work. Freshman Carson Curnutte (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) was outstanding in his three innings on the hill, fanning four with no walks while allowing just one Briton hit.
Bluffton jumps right back into action on Wednesday, March 20, when the Beavers head to Westerville for a nine-inning matchup with Otterbein from the Ohio Athletic Conference. The first pitch is slated for 4 p.m.
-BEAVERS-
