March 28, 2013
By: Kyle Stover, sports information assistant
GRANVILLE, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team finally returned to action on Thursday, March 28, after some snow postponed a game that was previously scheduled for Tuesday, falling 14-4 to Denison University on the road. The Beavers struggled offensively throughout the game and were unable to overcome an early 11-0 deficit.
Brad Schlabach (Fredericksburg/Hiland) had the start on the hill for Bluffton, his second of the season. He was unable to keep the Big Red off of the scoreboard early, allowing a run in the first and three in the second. Schlabach (1-2) finished the game with just two innings pitched, allowing eight hits and the four earned runs with two strikeouts.
Junior Ben Roeschley (Graymont, Ill./Flanagan) was the lone highlight for the Beaver pitching staff, providing some solid relief in the middle innings of the loss. He would go an inning and a third, allowing two hits, no runs and no walks. Roeschley struck out two of the hitters he faced.
Bluffton's offense was never able to settle in, with Denison throwing seven different pitchers in the game. Jake Townley (Mansfield/Madison) roped a double to the left field wall in the top of the second with two outs, but that is where he was stranded to end the inning.
The Beavers tried to rally in the sixth inning, getting both Kyle Niermann (Napoleon) and Tim Webb (Delaware/Worthington Christian) on via walks with one out. T.J. Devore (Grove City) then singled before Niermann scored courtesy of an error by Denison's second baseman. Townley had another big hit then, poking a two-run single which scored Webb and Devore. That was all Bluffton would be able to score in the inning as the Beavers trimmed the deficit to 11-3.
Bluffton added one more run in the top of the ninth when Christian Vail (Lucas) drew a walk with the bases loaded. The scoring would end there, however, as Niermann grounded into a game-ending double play.
Townley led the way for the Beavers on offense, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Devore added the only other hit for Bluffton.
The Beavers fell to 9-6 with the loss, while Denison improved to 5-6 on the young season. Bluffton needs to have a short memory as it is back in action again tomorrow, March 29, in the opener of a three-game conference series with Rose-Hulman. That game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in Bluffton at Memorial Field.
-BEAVERS-