April 8, 2008
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team scored three runs in the first inning and three in the eighth on the way to an 8-3 victory over long-time rival Defiance College on Tuesday, April 8, 2008. The Beavers improved to 10-13 overall and 4-7 in the Heartland Conference, while Defiance fell to 4-13 and 0-8 in the HCAC.
The Yellow Jackets used a DAVID JACKSON RBI double to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Bluffton responded with three scores in the home half of the first and never trailed again. TONY MOORE (Elida/Elida) was hit by a pitch and stole second before A.J. RAMTHUN'S(Springfield/Southeastern) single put runners on the corners. Senior standout TIM KAY(Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity) drove a NICK PICCIANO offering to the wall in center field for two-RBI triple. CODY MCPHERSON'S (Millbury/Lake) groundout plated Kay for a 3-1 Bluffton lead.
In the top of the second, Defiance cut the deficit to a single run when BEN GATES knocked in TREY HARRIS with a single to right field before he was cut down trying to go to second.
With Kay and CHRIS BAUMAN (Milford/Milford) aboard following a pair of leadoff walks, the Beavers executed a double steal to get both runners into scoring position. A passed ball allowed Kay to cross the plate for a 4-2 Bluffton lead in the bottom of the third.
Defiance came back to score a run in the fifth when KIRK JESSE doubled home CASEY KAHSEN who had ripped a two-bagger down the left field line with one out in the inning.
Moore put Bluffton back up by two runs with a sacrifice fly in the home half of the sixth that plated STEVE ROBERTS (West Salem/Mapleton).
COREY CONN (London/London) singled through the right side to open the bottom of the eighth. He moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt and found himself on third when JIMMY MCMONAGLE (Ida, Mich./Ida) bunted for a base hit. McMonagle stole second to put two runners in scoring position for A.J. Ramthun who tripled to the gap in left center. A Kay sacrifice fly plated Ramthun for the final 8-3 score.
Tim Kay went 2-of-3 with two runs scored and three RBI to lead the Bluffton hitters. He also drew a walk, had a sacrifice fly and stole two bases in the victory. A.J. Ramthun was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Roberts went 2-for-4 and McMonagle finished 2-of-2 with two sacrifices and one run scored.
Freshman ADRIAN FRITCH (Edon/Edon) improved to 2-1 with his solid five-inning performance. He held Defiance to three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and only one walk. Junior DUSTIN ZIZELMAN (Rockford/Parkway) worked to just nine batters while holding his former teammates hitless for three innings. JAMES HAUSMAN (Milford/Milford) set the Yellow Jackets down in order, including two strikeouts to end the game, as Bluffton took care of HCAC rival Defiance College by an 8-3 count.
Bluffton returns to action when it hosts a non-conference doubleheader with Concordia (Mich.) on Saturday, April 12, 2008. The first game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
-BEAVERS-