By: Shannon Ramer, sports information assistant
March 29, 2008
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team split with Hanover College on Saturday, March 29, taking the series with the Panthers two games to one. The Beavers' record is now 8-10 overall and 2-4 in the HCAC following the double header. Hanover now stands at 4-13, with a 1-5 mark in the conference.
Bluffton 5, Hanover 4 (9 innings)
In the first inning, MIKE RAMTHUN (Springfield/Southeastern) singled to right field, knocking in his brother, A.J. RAMTHUN (Springfield/Southeastern). STEVE ROBERTS (West Salem/Mapleton) infield groundout plated TIM KAY (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity) for the 2-0 lead.
Bluffton scored another run in the second inning when A.J. Ramthun singled home JIMMY MCMONAGLE (Ida, Mich./Ida).
To open the bottom of the fourth inning, COREY CONN (London/London) ripped a double to right field. Jimmy McMonagle moved him up a base with his sacrifice bunt and BRETT HOWARD (Toledo/St. Francis DeSales) picked up McMonagle with his fly ball to left field.
Hanover rallied to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning. The Panthers plated four runs on five hits to send the game to extra innings.
Senior, WILL GERBER (Kidron/Central Christian) came on in the eighth inning and slammed the door shut. He held the Panthers hitless in the eighth and ninth innings. The score remained knotted until A.J. Ramthun knocked in Brett Howard with one out in the bottom of the ninth for a dramatic 5-4 victory.
Tim Kay, Mike Ramthun, and A.J. Ramthun led the Beavers with two hits each while A.J. Ramthun drove in two runs, including the game-winner. Gerber improved to 2-2 on the season after pitching two perfect frames for the victory.
Hanover 6, Bluffton 5 (7 innings)
In the second inning, Hanover's SMITH scored the first run of the game on CRAWFORD'Ssingle to left field. The third inning saw Hanover post four more tallies on the scoreboard to take a 5-0 lead over the home team.
Bluffton mounted a comeback in the fifth inning. Steve Roberts smashed a one-out double to left center, moving CHRIS BAUMAN (Milford/Milford) to third. Corey Conn poked a base hit to left center which sent Roberts to third and Bauman across the plate. Roberts scored when McMonagle reached on a Panther error. Then TONY MOORE (Elida/Elida) drove a single to right field to knock in Conn. A.J. Ramthun's single to left center scored Moore to cut the deficit to just one run.
Hanover tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth despite not getting a hit in the inning. A walk, a balk and a sacrifice bunt led to the Panthers making the score 6-4 heading to the bottom of the sixth.
Bauman, who led the Beavers with two runs scored, stole home to make it a one run game, but Hanover's PECK came on in the seventh to pick up the save as Hanover avoided its second straight Heartland Conference sweep with a 6-5 victory over the Beavers.
CODY MCPHERSON (Millbury/Lake) fell to 2-1 with the loss, giving up five runs on six hits in just three innings on the hill.
Bluffton returns to action on Tuesday, April 1, when the Beavers travel to Manchester for a HCAC game. The contest is slated to start at 4:15 p.m.
-BEAVERS-