By: Joe Watkins, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team took advantage of some nice weather, hosting Ohio Northern on a comfortable Thursday, April 11, 2019. Bluffton battled to the end, but a seven-run outburst by the Polar Bears in the top of the third proved too much to overcome as the Beavers dropped a 10-7 decision. The home team slipped to 13-13 on the season, while ONU upped its mark to 11-13 overall.
A Parker Reynolds (Avon) RBI single in the first put the Beavers up 1-0. Freshman Zac Nobis (Bryan) doubled home Adam Duncan (Northwood/Lake) and Jacob Latkofsky (Temperance, MI/Ida) singled him in for a 3-1 Bluffton lead after two but the wheels fell off in the third when ONU plated seven runs, all unearned, despite getting just two hits in the inning.
The home team would not go away, scoring two in the bottom of the third and single tallies in the fourth and sixth to pull within a run at 8-7 going to the seventh. Freshman Pharaoh Smith (Indianapolis, IN/Lawrence Central) continued to impress with an RBI base knock in the third before Nobis picked up Lenny Winiarski (Cincinnati/LaSalle) with a sacrifice fly to right.
Winiarski returned the favor with an RBI triple in the fourth and Latkofsky doubled home Jaxon Rogan (Marysville) in the sixth, but ONU tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh en route to a 10-7 victory over the Beavers.
Junior Tommy Siemer (Liberty Township/Lakota East) fell to 1-1 after allowing eight runs, all unearned, in three innings of work. He walked three and struck out three. Brantley Curnutte (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) worked two innings of scoreless relief, while Jack Bondy (Avon), Jordan Stutzman (Millersburg/West Holmes) and Dante D'Andrea (Westerville/North) each tossed a shutout frame.
Colin Gregory (Fremont/Clyde) and Duncan both rapped three hits for the home team. Latkofsky and Nobis drove in two runs apiece and Gregory scored twice. Reynolds chipped in with a pair of safeties.
Bluffton is back at Memorial Field for a Heartland Conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 13. The first game is slated for 1 p.m. Come out and support your Beavers!
-BEAVERS-