March 18, 2002
The Bluffton College baseball team won their 2002 home opener in dramatic fashion on last Friday as the Beavers scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to take a 4-3 win over Adrian College at Sears Field.
BC split a double-header with Oberlin College on Saturday to see their overall record move to 2-9 on the season. The Beavers will travel to Wilmington Wednesday and will see their first action in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference this weekend as BC heads to Franklin College for a three game series beginning at 3 p.m. Friday.
Against Adrian, sophomore pitcher Josh Underwood allowed just seven hits and three runs, only one of which was earned, in eight innings of work, but the Bluffton offense was held to just one hit and no runs as the Beavers entered the ninth inning trailing 3-0. Sophomore pitcher Ryan Whitaker worked a near-perfect ninth inning to give the BC offense one last chance.
And one chance is all the Beavers would need. Senior Brad Buckingham singled and sophomore Kyle Alberson doubled to begin the inning with runners on second and third for senior Ben Schwab, who drove in Buckingham with a single. Sophomore Jim Dwenger then drilled a double to score Alberson and Schwab and tie the game at three runs each. Bluffton's next two hitters were set down in order, but then Dwenger stole third and scored the game-winning run off sophomore Dan Crider's sharply hit grounder, which was booted by the Adrian third baseman.
Whitaker earned the win in relief and Dwenger's two hits led the offense.
Against Oberlin Saturday, Bluffton pitchers Wes Hall and Bob Heitkamp didn't give up an earned run in 14 innings of work, but it could only produce a split as BC won the first game 7-1 but fell in the nightcap 1-0.
Hall allowed just two hits and struck out six batters in the first game as Dwenger and Underwood both collected two base hits. One of Underwood's hits went for a double, while Dwenger and Buckingham both drove in two runs.
In the second game, Heitkamp gave up just five hits and allowed just one unearned run, but the BC offense was held scoreless in a 1-0 loss. Senior Todd Pickthorn notched two singles to lead BC at the plate.