March 6, 2008
FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Bluffton University baseball team fell behind 3-0 in the first inning, but the Beavers rallied for an 11-4 victory over Dominican on Thursday, March 6, 2008. With Bluffton's third straight win, the Beavers are currently 5-2. Dominican fell to 5-3 with the loss.
The Stars opened the bottom of the first with a NATHAN MERCADO base hit and a walk before a passesd ball put both runners in scoring position. RICHARD SULLIVAN doubled home Mercado and KEITH HALVERSON before he scored on a fielder's choice which made the score 3-0.
Bluffton cut the deficit to two runs an inning later when CHRIS BAUMAN (Milford/Milford) picked up COREY CONN (London/London) with an RBI double down the right field line.
TONY MOORE (Elida/Elida) and A.J RAMTHUN (Springfield/Southeastern) both singled to open the third frame and following a wild pitch that left them both in scoring position, senior TIM KAY (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity) delivered with a two-RBI single up the gut. Kay stole second and came around to score on Conn's single down the right field line.
A.J. Ramthun plated Bauman in the top of the fourth and he crossed the plate when his brother, Mike, ripped a base hit to right field.
With the Beavers holding on to a slim 6-4 lead after five, Bluffton found its stroke at the plate in the sixth inning. Moore drew a leadoff walk and he moved to second when A.J. Ramthun singled through the left side. One out later, MIKE RAMTHUN'S (Springfield/Southeastern) base hit left the bases full. CURTIS SCHROEDER (Shelby/Shelby) plated Moore with his only hit of the day and A.J. touched the plate on Conn's groundout. Mike Ramthun scored and JIMMY MCMONAGLE (Ida, Mich./Ida) reached first when Dominican failed to hold on to the third strike. McMonagle and Schroeder both crossed the dish on Bauman's single as the Beavers built a commanding 11-4 lead and made it stand up for the remainder of the game.
A.J. Ramthun and Chris Bauman both pounded the Dominican pitchers with four hits apiece. Mike Ramthun went 3-of-4 while Kay and McMonagle added two hits each. Kay, Conn and Bauman all drove in two runs for the Beavers. A.J. Ramthun scored three times and Moore crossed the plate twice.
CODY MCPHERSON (Millbury/Lake) stayed perfect at 2-0, giving up only four runs with four strikeouts in six innings on the hill. Freshman NATHAN BLANTON (Cincinnati/LaSalle) worked three scoreless frames, facing only 10 batters, for the first save of his career at Bluffton.
Bluffton returns to action on Friday, March 7, when the Beavers face Coach Grandey's alma mater, Muskingum College, in a doubleheader. The first game is slated to start at 9 a.m.
-BEAVERS-