March 25, 2008
ADA, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team dropped the first contest at Ohio Northern before snapping its seven-game losing streak with an 11-6 victory over the Polar Bears on Tuesday, March 25, 2008. The Beavers improved to 6-9 on the season while ONU upped its record to 7-10. The contests, originally scheduled for Bluffton, were moved to Ohio Northern due to wet field conditions at the newly renovated Bluffton University Memorial Field.
Ohio Northern 8, Bluffton 5
Ohio Northern jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the home half of the first inning in game one. A FLEISCHMAN double to right center put two runners in scoring position for KATANA who lifted a sacrifice fly to left field. A ROBINSON single plated Fleischman for the 2-0 advantage.
In the top of the third inning, Bluffton put together three runs on three hits. JIMMY MCMONAGLE (Ida, Mich./Ida) opened with a base knock to right and he moved to second on TONY MOORE'S (Elida/Elida) bunt single. Senior TIM KAY (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity) made ONU pay with his three-run shot to right field which put Bluffton on top 3-2.
The Polar Bears knotted the score with a run in the bottom of the third thanks to an RBI double by Katana.
Following a pair of ONU strikeouts to start the bottom of the fourth frame, the Polar Bears rallied for four runs on just two hits. A walk, two hit batters, a couple Bluffton errors and a wild pitch kept the inning alive as Ohio Northern led 7-3 when the dust cleared.
ONU tacked on an insurance run in the sixth when Katana again came through for the Polar Bears with an RBI single through the right side.
The Beavers rallied for two runs on three hits in the top of the seventh, but ONU held on to take the first game by a final score of 8-5. MIKE RAMTHUN'S (Springfield/Southeastern) single to left center plated his brother A.J. RAMTHUN (Springfield/Southeastern) and Tim Kay to spark Bluffton before the Polar Bears closed the door by inducing a game-ending ground ball to secure the victory.
Kay and Moore led the way for Bluffton with three hits each. Kay drove in three runs and Moore scored twice in the loss. Mike Ramthun knocked in two runs for the Beavers.
WILL GERBER (Kidron/Central Christian) fell to 1-2 with the loss after giving up seven runs, four earned, on seven hits with four strikeouts in five innings of work.
Bluffton 11, Ohio Northern 6
In the bottom of the first inning, Bluffton took advantage of three hits, a pair of hit batters and an ONU error to take a 4-0 lead over the Polar Bears. Moore and A.J. Ramthun were hit by pitches to open the frame. Kay's single and the ensuing ONU error sent Moore home with no outs. CODY MCPHERSON (Millbury/Lake) singled in Ramthun before STEVE ROBERTS'(West Salem/Mapleton) base hit to center scored Kay and McPherson for a commanding 4-0 lead.
ONU cut the Bluffton lead in half with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning, but the Beavers answered with two more runs in the bottom of the second. A.J. Ramthun and McPherson both doubled in the second and Kay ripped an RBI single down the right field line.
Clinging to a 7-4 lead over Ohio Northern after four innings, Bluffton exploded for four more runs in the home half of the fifth inning. A walk to Moore, a double by A.J. Ramthun and a Kay single loaded the bases for Mike Ramthun who promptly cleared them with his grand slam to right field, putting the Beavers up by a comfortable 11-4 margin.
The Polar Bears took advantage of two Bluffton errors in the top of the seventh to close the gap to five runs before AARON TUTTLE (Frankton, Ind./Frankton) shut the door to cinch the victory for the Beavers.
Kay, who finished the day 7-of-9 at the dish, went 4-of-5 with three runs scored and 2 RBI to pace the Beavers. McPherson, Roberts and A.J. Ramthun also chipped in with multiple hits in game two. A.J. Ramthun and Kay both scored three runs each while Mike Ramthun drove in four runs with his bases-clearing homer in the fifth inning.
ADRIAN FRITCH (Edon/Edon) picked up his first collegiate victory, giving up six runs, four earned, on eight hits in 6.1 innings on the hill. He finished with four strikeouts and just two walks in the win.
Bluffton returns to action on Friday, March 28, 2008, when the Beavers host Hanover College. The contest is slated to start at 4 p.m.
-BEAVERS-