March 27, 2012
By: Martin Kluk, sports information intern

BLUFFTON, Ohio - In a 13-9 slugfest, the Bluffton Beaver baseball team came out on top over the Denison Big Red on Tuesday, March 27. The come from behind victory improves Bluffton's season record to 8-10 (1-2 HCAC) while Denison fell to 5-13.

The game didn't start off smoothly for the Beavers as the Big Red came out and put a four-spot on freshman pitcher Halen Core (Reynoldburg) who was making his first career start. However, in the bottom of the second the Beavers cut the lead in half on a solo shot by Nick Broyles (Toledo/Whitmer) and an RBI single by Anthony Cianci (Ravenna/Southeast) that knocked in Tim Webb (Delaware/Worthington Christian).

After the rough first inning, Core settled in and dominated as he has throughout the year by setting down nine batters in a row and 13 of the next 14 through the top of the fifth. Then in the bottom half of the inning, the Bluffton bats backed up Core's strong performance with a six-run outburst to make it 8-4. The team batted around and had a two walks and five hits which included a pair of RBI singles by Miles Richardson (Granville/Newark Catholic) and Tyler Wright (Troy) as well as a pair of two-run doubles by Tyler Stephenson (Springfield/Northwestern) and Matt McKinney (Columbus Grove/Bath).

The Big Red responded with a run in each of the next two innings to cut the deficit to 8-6 in the top half of the seventh. The Beaver bats were not done though as the home team added a tally in the bottom the seventh and then another four crucial runs in the bottom of the eighth for a 13-6 advantage.

Richardson led off the inning with a single and came home when Stephenson drilled a triple to right field. Wright sent Stephenson home on a base knock and after moving to second on a wild pitch, crossed the dish on a single by Broyles. Broyles then made his way around the bases with a steal and an error and a Webb sacrifice fly to make the score 13-6 heading into the ninth. Those runs were key as Denison plated three runs in the top of the ninth to make the final score 13-9 in favor of Bluffton.

For the game, the Beavers swatted 17 hits which were spread throughout the lineup. Richardson and Broyles led the way with three each. Stephenson finished with three runs batted in to go along with his two hits and Webb scored three runs on two hits and two free passes. 

Core improved his record to 3-0 in his first start by pitching six strong innings. He allowed five runs, just one after the first frame, on five hits with two strikeouts. Sophomore David Ianiro (Highland Heights/Mayfield) earned his first save of the season by tossing the last three innings. He gave up four runs, just one earned, on four hits while punching out two batters.

Bluffton travels to Rose-Hulman on Friday, March 30, for the first contest of a three-game Heartland Conference series. The game is slated for 6 p.m.

-BEAVERS-