By Bill Hanefeld Jr., sports information director
March 7, 2006
FORT MYERS, Fl. - The Bluffton University baseball team (1-2) split its doubleheader versus Olivet on Monday, March 6, 2006. The Beavers dropped the first game 15-5, but came back to win their first game of the year in the nightcap by a final score of 9-5.
GAME 1 - Olivet 15, Bluffton 5
Olivet used five hits and an error in the second inning to plate four runs. Bluffton came back with one run in the bottom of the inning when Riordan McClain (Upper Sandusky/Upper Sandusky) opened with a single to right field and came around to score following a pair of base hits and an Olivet error.
A leadoff double from Greg Sigg (Maumee/Maumee) ignited a three run rally for the Beavers in the third frame. Sigg, McClain and Jimmy McMonagle (Ida, Mich./Ida) all crossed the plate to help Bluffton cut the Olivet advantage to one run (5-4) heading into the fourth inning.
Olivet scored a pair of runs in each of the next two innings to chase starter Randy Miller (Willard/Willard) with one out in the fifth inning. The bullpen struggled to keep the Beavers within striking distance as it gave up three runs in the sixth inning and again in the seventh.
Olivet went 19-of-39 at the plate on its way to the 15-5 victory over the Beavers in the first game of the doubleheader. Miller took the loss for Bluffton after giving up nine runs on 13 hits in 4.1 innings on the mound. Brad Dragicevich picked up the win for Olivet, going five innings and finishing with six strikeouts.
McClain scored three runs for the Beavers. He and Tony Moore (Elida/Elida) both collected two hits in the loss, while Sigg had the lone extra-base hit for the Beavers.
GAME 2 - Bluffton 9, Olivet 5
Leadoff hitter Tony Moore opened the game with a single and came around to score following hits by Tim Kay (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity) and Kyle White (Berne Ind./South Adams).
A Tim Kay triple in the second plated Lowell Wyse (Camden, Mich/Hesston J.C.) who had singled to right field. A Bluffton error in the bottom half of the inning allowed Olivet to put a run on the scoreboard in the second.
In the third, the Beavers put together three singles and an error on the third baseman to score three runs and take a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the frame. McClain, Tony Gerig (West Unity/Hilltop) and Curtis Schroeder (Shelby/Shelby) all crossed the plate before Olivet could stop the bleeding. Olivet came back with four hits in the bottom of the inning to score twice and cut the Bluffton lead to two runs (5-3).
Bluffton picked up a pair of runs in the fifth inning when Gerig opened with a free pass and McClain reached first on a bunt single. Ryan Baightel (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) moved both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Wyse and Moore both followed with singles to plate McClain and Gerig.
McClain followed a Sigg single and a Schroeder double with a base knock to provide the Beavers with two insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Freshman Matt Perkins (Convoy/Crestview) went the distance for Bluffton in his first collegiate start and held Olivet to five runs, three earned, on nine hits in seven innings. He racked up nine strikeouts and issued only two walks.
McClain led the Beavers at the plate with three hits in four at bats. He knocked in two runs and scored twice. Moore also picked up three hits for the victors. Kay, Schroeder and Wyse all finished with two hits for the Beavers who were 15-of-34 for the game. Schroeder and Gerig both crossed the plate twice for Bluffton. The Beavers improved to 1-2 with the 9-5 victory over Olivet.
Bluffton returns to action on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 when it faces New Jersey City in a doubleheader which starts at 4 p.m.
-BEAVERS-