March 7, 2012
By: Keisha Holtsberry, sports information assistant
PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida - The Bluffton University baseball team fell to #12 Heidelberg University 5-4 on Wednesday, March 7. The Beavers stand 2-5 overall and 2-3 in the Snowbird Classic. Heidelberg improved to 3-2 with the victory.
The Beavers plated two runs in the second inning, and one in both the fifth and sixth innings. Heidelberg plated three runs in the first inning, one run in the third, and one run in the seventh. The three runs in the first inning gave Heidelberg the advantage over the Beavers.
Mark Hadaya (Beavercreek) started the game for the Beavers and went six innings. He allowed four runs while striking out four batters and walking four. Kyle Stover (Tipp City) pitched the seventh inning and took the loss when Heidelberg scored the go-ahead run thanks to a stolen base, a wild pitch and a Bluffton error. Kelly Barnes (Toledo/Christian) came in to finish out the game and struck out one batter in two shutout innings of relief.
Airic Steagall (Hillsboro) was the first Beaver to cross the plate. He reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second on Greg Franks' (Smithville) single. Steagall went to third when Doug Paullin (Jeromesville/Hillsdale) walked and he crossed the dish when Kyle Niermann (Napoleon) delivered a run-scoring single which also picked up Franks.
Miles Richardson (Granville/Newark Catholic) scored in the fifth inning. He ripped a double, advanced to third on a Tyler Stephenson (Springfield/Northwestern) single and crossed the plate when Tyler Wright (Troy) followed with a base knock.
Franks was the only Beaver to cross the plate in the sixth inning. He reached first on an error by Heidelberg and advanced to second on the same play. Franks moved to third on a base hit by Paullin and crossed the plate when Richardson laced a single.
Richardson led the Beavers with four hits and one RBI. Wright and Paullin both had two hits in the loss. Niermann finished with two RBI's and Franks scored twice.
Bluffton returns to action on Thursday, March 8, when the Beavers meet Baldwin-Wallace at 12:30 p.m.
-BEAVERS-