April 10, 2007

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team used a three-run RYAN BAIGHTEL(Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) homer in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead, but Heidelberg answered with a three-spot in the top of the fifth inning to slow the Beavers as the Student Princes improved to 16-7 with their 6-3 victory at Bluffton on Tuesday, April 10, 2007. With the loss, the Beavers fell to 1-5 on the season.

After two quick innings on the hill, JAMES HAUSMAN (Milford/Milford) ran into trouble in the top of the third. A STEVE DECKER double to left center followed by a BEN WAY bunt single put runners on the corners with no outs. A well-executed bunt moved Way into scoring position for JEREMY WENTWORTH whose single plated Decker. A MATT GRASSLEYsacrifice fly made the score 2-0 midway through the third inning.

The bottom of the lineup came up big for the Beavers in the fourth inning. CODY MCPHERSON (Northwood/Lake) opened the frame with single to right center. BRENT HUNT(Bucyrus/Bucyrus) followed with a double to right center, leaving a pair of Beavers in scoring position for Baightel who needed only one pitch to give Bluffton a 3-2 lead with no outs. KYLE HINTZE retired the top of the order to avert further damage and the Beavers' bats went silent following Baightel's three-run blast to left.

Four consecutive singles, including consecutive bunts for hits, to open the top half of fifth led to three Heidelberg scores as the Princes wasted no time reclaiming their lead.

The Berg tacked on an insurance run in the sixth, but it wasn't needed as Bluffton managed only three hits over the final five innings of play.

BRENNAN BAUMAN (Milford/Milford) and Brett Hunt both collected two safeties and Baightel drove in all three runs with his homer in the fourth inning. The Beavers and Student Princes combined for eight errors on the afternoon.

Hausman took the loss for the Bluffton, giving up all six Heidelberg runs on 10 hits in 5.1 innings of work on the mound. Kyle Hintze picked up his first win of the year for the Berg, going six innings and striking out eight Beavers. DAN MACHOVINA worked a perfect ninth for his third save of the year.

The Beavers will return to action on Friday, April 13, when they welcome Rose-Hulman for the opener of a three-game Heartland Conference series in Bluffton this weekend. The Friday night contest is slated to start at 4 p.m.

-BEAVERS-