April 25, 2008
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team saw its 7-1 lead erased when Transylvania rallied for 13 runs during the sixth and seventh innings on Friday, April 25, 2008. The Pioneers held on for a 14-12 victory while improving to 25-7 overall and 13-4 in the Heartland Conference. Bluffton fell to 13-19, with a 5-11 mark in the HCAC.
Three consecutive doubles to start the bottom of the first inning put Bluffton on top 2-0 in the opener of a three-game HCAC series with Transylvania. TONY MOORE (Elida/Elida), A.J. RAMTHUN (Springfield/Southeastern) and TIM KAY (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity) all ripped two-baggers before Transylvania set the next three Beavers down in order.
Bluffton added four runs in the bottom of the second to take a 6-0 lead over the Pioneers. The Beavers were aided by a Transy throwing error and a catcher's interference that was called as DAVID RIDDLE'S (Milford/Milford) infield popout was hauled in. COREY CONN(London/London) smoked a one-out double to left center and scored following Moore's bunt single when the throw went awry. Ramthun picked up Riddle with a sacrifice fly before CHRIS BAUMAN'S (Milford/Milford) two-bagger plated Moore and Kay.
The Pioneers took advantage of a Bluffton error in the fourth to score their first run of the game, but A.J. Ramthun responded with a home run to center field in the bottom half of the inning for a 7-1 lead.
The wheels came off for the Beavers in the top of the sixth. A miscommunication led to a dropped fly ball and Transy took advantage with six runs on five hits, including a grand slam by TIM BAUMAN, chasing Bluffton starter JAMES HAUSMAN (Milford/Milford) in the process.
One inning later, Bluffton went through four pitchers as the Beavers issued six free passes and allowed seven runs to cross the plate before DUSTIN ZIZELMAN (Ohio City/Parkway) came on and ended the scoring barrage with a flyball to right field.
Down by seven runs but not out of the ballgame, Bluffton used a three-run homer by CODY MCPHERSON (Millbury/Lake) to cut the deficit to four runs in the bottom of the seventh. McPherson's fifth shot of the year plated Kay, who had doubled, and Bauman to make the score 14-10.
A.J. Ramthun scored on Bauman's single in the eighth and Kay made it 14-12 when he crossed the plate following a wild pitch, but the next four Beavers went down in order as the Pioneers held on to take the first game of the series.
Tim Kay led the Beavers at the plate, going 3-of-5 with three runs scored and one RBI. Bauman, Moore and Ramthun all collected two hits, while Ramthun and McPherson drove in three runs each. Ramthun scored three runs and Moore crossed the plate twice.
TYLER SPRUNGER (Berne, Ind./South Adams) fell to 2-2 with the loss. Hausman worked 5.2 innings, giving up seven runs, all unearned, on eight hits with four strikeouts and just one walk.
The Beavers return to action on Saturday, April 26, when they host Transy for two more HCAC contests. The first game is slated to start at 12 p.m.
-BEAVERS-