By: Brandy Bidlack, sports information assistant
March 1, 2009
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Bluffton University baseball team won the first contest of the 2009 season but dropped its second matchup of the double header with Goshen College on Sunday, March 1, at Sarasota Christian High School. In the first game, the Beavers run-ruled their opponents 11-1 and in the second game a Goshen eighth-inning single brought in the game-winning run.
Senior Kyle King (Dover) scored the first run of the Bluffton victory, before a Stephen Torres' (Lima/Juan Diego) run in the bottom of the second made it 2-0 following an Allen Slabaugh (Dalton) triple to right center. In the third inning King doubled and came around, putting the Beavers up 3-0 over Goshen.
The bats exploded in the fifth for Bluffton, including a double down the left field line by junior Cody McPherson (Northwood/Millbury Lake) that sent senior Mike Ramthun (Springfield/Southeastern) racing home. A triple from freshman Tyler Stephenson (Springfield/Northwestern) cleared the bases by plating King, McPherson, and first baseman Curtis Schroeder (Shelby). A base knock from freshman outfielder Nick Broyles (Toledo/Whitmer) scored Stephenson.
Another triple from Stephenson in the bottom of the sixth inning plated both McPherson and Schroeder. A Corey Conn (London) single to right field allowed Stephenson to race home for the final run in the contest as the Beavers defeated Goshen in only six innings, 11-1.
McPherson (1-0) held the Maple Leafs to only three hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Tyler Stephenson was a perfect 4-of-4 with two runs scored, two triples and a two-bagger, while McPherson had three hits and Kyle King crossed home plate three times in the contest.
The Bluffton bats fell silent in game two as the Beavers forced two hits, a single from Stephen Torres in the sixth inning and a base hit by Tyler Stephenson in the top of the seventh. However, Goshen generated eights hits, including a single from Kraig Miller that produced the game-winning run by Zac Miller with one out in the eighth frame.
Senior James Hausman (Milford) gave up five hits and finished with six walks while holding Goshen scoreless through seven frames.
Bluffton returns to action on Monday, March 2, 2009, when the Beavers face Eastern Mennonite University in a double header at Sarasota Christian High School. The first contest is slated for 1 PM.
-BEAVERS-