March 4, 2008
FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Bluffton University baseball team met a hot-hitting Thiel squad on Tuesday, March 4, and fell to the Tomcats by a final count of 13-5. Thiel improved to 2-2 with the victory, while Bluffton saw its two-game winning streak snapped by a club that has put up 13 runs in back-to-back contests.
The Tomcats took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI single by ANDREW HOWARD following DAN MORRISON'S sacrifice bunt. Howard scored the second run of the game on a Bluffton wild pitch.
A JUSTIN SCARPITTI sacrifice fly in the third inning made the score 3-0 in favor of Thiel.
JIMMY MCMONAGLE (Ida, Mich./Ida) and CURTIS SCHROEDER (Shelby/Shelby) were both hit by pitches to open the fourth inning. They moved into scoring position when RYAN BAIGHTEL (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) executed a sacrifice bunt. TONY MOORE'S(Elida/Elida) groundout to third plated McMonagle, cutting the deficit to four runs.
Thiel put the game on ice with a monster fourth inning. After Howard lined out to open the bottom of the fourth, the Tomcats put together six hits, including three doubles, making the score 8-1 after only four frames.
For the third time in four games, sophomore CODY MCPHERSON (Millbury/Lake) went yard with a solo homer which made the score 8-2.
The Beavers made a final run at the Tomcats in the eighth inning. AUSTIN GRAY(Lewisburg/Tri-County North), who was pinch hitting for Baightel, was hit by a pitch to open the frame. With ANTHONY BRYANT (Reynoldsburg/Reynoldsburg) running for Gray, Moore singled to right field. An A.J. RAMTHUN (Springfield/Southeastern) base hit plated Bryant before MIKE RAMTHUN'S (Springfield/Southeastern) two-bagger pushed Moore and TIM KAY (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity) across the dish.
The Tomcats added five more runs over the final four innings for a 13-5 victory over the Beavers.
Mike Ramthun paced Bluffton with a 3-for-4 day at the plate. He also knocked in two runs. Moore and McPherson both finished with two hits for the Beavers.
DUSTIN ZIZELMAN (Rockford/Parkway) gave up eight runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts in 3.2 innings on the mound. MARK BREWER held Bluffton to two runs on six hits in five innings for the win.
Bluffton returns to action on Wednesday, March 5, when the Beavers take on Misericordia at 3 p.m.
-BEAVERS-