April 22, 2008
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team scored eight times over the final three innings to erase an early five-run deficit and complete a season sweep at Defiance College on Tuesday, April 22, 2008. The Beavers improved to 13-18 overall and 5-10 in the Heartland Conference, while Defiance fell to 5-20 with a 1-15 mark in the HCAC.
TIM KAY (Alpharetta Ga./Blessed Trinity) gave Bluffton a short-lived 1-0 lead over Defiance in the top of the third inning when his RBI single scored TONY MOORE (Elida/Elida).
The Yellow Jackets wasted no time responding as Defiance pasted a six-spot on the visitors in the home half of the inning and knocked out Bluffton starter ADRIAN FRITCH (Edon/Edon) with two outs and runners at the corners. KAHSEN crossed the plate on the front end of a double steal before AARON TUTTLE (Frankton, Ind./Frankton) ended the carnage with a strikeout. Defiance took a 6-1 lead thanks to six hits, including a leadoff triple by HARRIS, and a sacrifice fly from WADE.
CODY MCPHERSON (Millbury/Lake) cut the deficit to four runs when he scored on BRETT HOWARD'S (Toledo/St. Francis DeSales) groundout in the top of the fourth.
Defiance added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to open up an 8-2 lead over the Beavers.
Bluffton made a game of it with four runs in the seventh inning. With the bases full and just one out, Moore hit a bloop single down the right field line which scored Howard. A.J. RAMTHUN(Springfield/Southeastern) followed with a single and when Defiance misplayed his base hit to right field, COREY CONN (London/London), STEVE ROBERTS (West Salem/Mapleton) and Tony Moore all crossed the plate and Ramthun motored around to third base as Bluffton closed the gap to just two runs.
JIMMY MCMONAGLE (Ida, Mich./Ida) singled down the right field line with one out in the top of the eighth inning. Following a walk to Brett Howard, Defiance moved PITRO from shortstop to the mound and Conn greeted him with a mammoth three-run shot to right field which put Bluffton on top 9-8. A.J. Ramthun delivered an RBI two-bagger down the left field line that plated Moore for the 10-8 lead.
MATT PERKINS (Convoy/Crestview) came on for the Beavers in the ninth and picked up his first save of the season despite a Bluffton error and two-out RBI double by Pitro that made the final score 10-9.
Ramthun, McMonagle and Conn all paced the Beavers with three hits on the afternoon. Ramthun and Conn both drove in three runs while Moore scored three times in the victory. Tony Moore and Tim Kay both collected two singles. Howard and Conn each scored twice for Bluffton.
TYLER SPRUNGER (Berne, Ind./South Adams) worked 3.2 innings of scoreless relief in improving to 2-1 on the season. He limited the Jackets to three hits and one walk with one strikeout.
The Beavers return to action on Friday, April 25, when they welcome HCAC foe Transylvania to Bluffton for a three-game series. The first contest is slated to start at 4 p.m.
-BEAVERS-