By Kate Barringer, sports information assistant
April 1, 2006
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team played a three game series against Manchester College on March 31 and April 1, 2006. On Friday, March 31, Bluffton traveled to Manchester and fell 19-7 before returning home for a Saturday doubleheader which resulted in back to back losses, 7-4 and 6-4. The three game sweep dropped the Beavers' record to 7-11 overall and 3-3 in the HCAC.
GAME 1 - MANCHESTER 19, BLUFFTON 7
The bats where hot for both teams as both Bluffton and Manchester scored in the first. TONY MOORE (Elida/Elida) opened the game with a single to left center and RIORDAN MCCLAIN (Upper Sandusky/Upper Sandusky) followed with a double to center which scored Moore. McClain stole third and scored on an error by the catcher. Both CURTIS SCHROEDER (Shelby/Shelby) and KYLE WHITE (Berne, Ind./South Adams) followed McClain's lead by pounding doubles to center field with White scoring Schroeder. The Beavers ended the top of the first with three runs on four hits.
Manchester followed the great start by Bluffton scoring five runs on five hits in the home half of the inning.
The Beavers remained scoreless until the third inning when TIM KAY (Alpharetta Ga./Blessed Trinity) homered knocking in McClain who reached on a walk. Schroeder followed suit by hammering another home run which tied the game 6-6.
Bluffton was unable to stop Manchester as the Spartans scored two runs off of three hits in the fourth inning and six runs off five hits in the fifth inning.
Bluffton's final run came in the top of the seventh inning when LOWELL WYSE (Camden, Mich/Hesston J.C.) singled and scored on Kay's single which closed the gap to 14-7.
The Spartans followed with one run on two hits in the bottom of the seventh and in the eighth inning they scored four more runs off of two hits and three errors. Manchester's TYLER WOLF, whose record improved to 3-2, ended up being too much for the Beavers to handle as the Spartans dropped Bluffton 19-7.
GAME 2 - MANCHESTER 7, BLUFFTON 4
Bluffton took the early lead in the first inning when Moore doubled to right field and McClain plated him with a double to left field. Kay singled moving McClain to third before a sacrifice fly to center field by White gave the Beavers a 2-0 lead.
Bluffton held the Spartans scoreless in the first three innings behind the stellar pitching of freshman JUSTIN JONES (Washington Court House/Washington Senior) and was able to up its lead to 3-0 when Schroeder's sacrifice fly to right field scored McClain who had singled to left.
Manchester's bats got hot as the Spartans scored one run on two hits in the top of the fourth before taking the lead 5-3 in the fifth when they exploded for four runs off of four hits.
Bluffton sent the winning run to the plate as TONY GERIG (West Unity/Hilltop) singled to center field. Kay singled to right field scoring TYLER WILLIAMS (Lima/Lima Senior) who ran for Gerig. Schroeder was then hit by a pitch but the Beavers were unable to score as Manchester held on for the 7-4 win in the first game on Saturday.
DAN SPRUNGER picked up the win for the Spartans and he improved his record to a perfect 4-0 while Justin Jones dropped to 3-2 as he took the loss for the Beavers.
GAME 3 - MANCHESTER 6, BLUFFTON 4
After a pair of scoreless frames to open the third game of the series, Manchester jumped on top in the third inning with three runs on three hits. Following SEAL and TALARICO singles, SCOTT laid down a sacrifice bunt. When the throw went into right field, both Seal and Talarico crossed the plate and Scott motored all the way to third base. A BIRELY single to right field plated Scott before an inning ending double play stopped the bleeding.
Manchester tacked on one run in the fifth to take a 4-0 lead despite recording only a two out single in the inning.
The Spartans upped their advantage to 6-0 in the top of the sixth when they scored two runs on three hits and an error.
Tim Kay reached third to open the sixth when the Manchester right fielder dropped a routine fly ball. Schroeder picked him up with a lineout to left. JIMMY MCMONAGLE (Ida, Mich./Ida) followed with a single to right before White drew a free pass. A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position for RYAN BAIGHTEL(Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) who hit a run scoring bloop double to left field. CHRIS BAUMAN (Milford/Milford), inserted as a pinch hitter, promptly singled up the middle plating both White and Baightel. A McClain double brought the go ahead run to the plate before an inning ending strikeout left the Beavers trailing 6-4 heading to the final frame.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, McMonagle singled and White walked to bring the game winning run to the plate. Manchester stopper MITCH WATERS got the strikeout to end the game with the Spartans on top 6-4. With the victory, Manchester improved to 17-4, including a perfect 6-0 in Heartland Conference action.
MATT PERKINS (Convoy/Crestview) took the loss for the Beavers as he pitched 6.2 strong innings while giving up six runs on nine hits and striking out eight batters. TONY GERIG (West Unity/Hilltop) and McMonagle both collected two hits for the Beavers who fell to 7-11 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
The Beavers return to action on Wednesday, April 5 when they travel to face Cedarville College at 4 p.m.
-BEAVERS-