May 10, 2010

BLUFFTON, Ohio - Two members of the Bluffton University baseball team, sophomores Kelly Barnes (Toledo/Christian) and Nick Broyles (Toledo/Whitmer) were named Heartland Conference Players of the Week after leading the Beavers to a pair of conference victories. Bluffton defeated Defiance College 16-14 on Tuesday, May 4, before just missing out on a series victory over Franklin College last weekend.

Kelly Barnes (1-1) threw 8.0 innings in Bluffton's 8-5 win over Franklin College on Saturday. He established a new school record with 12 strikeouts, while walking just two batters. Barnes allowed just two runs, none earned, on five hits and recorded the victory.

Nick Broyles finished the week 10-of-19 with eight runs scored and seven RBI. The sophomore rapped three doubles, three triples and two home runs while hitting .526 and slugging at a 1.210 clip. Broyles tied the single-season Bluffton record with his 10th homer of the season on Saturday and he also moved into first place all-time with 49 RBI for the season while helping the Beavers to a 2-2 mark for the week.

-BEAVERS-