April 1, 2013

BLUFFTON, Ohio - It may have been April 1, but it was certainly no April Fool's joke that senior standout Kyle Niermann (Napoleon) has been named the Heartland Conference Hitter of the Week. The All-HCAC rightfielder went 8-of-12 (.667 BA) in Bluffton's first-ever series win over RHIT and scored five runs with one RBI. He hit two doubles last week to finish 8-of-16 (.500 BA).

In the process he became just Bluffton's second player to eclipse 200 career hits. His 212 career safeties are just three behind all-time leader Tyler Stephenson's 215. Niermann put himself in position to contend for the award again this week after battering the Oberlin pitchers for five hits and scoring the winning run in Bluffton's game two 3-2 come-from behind win on Monday afternoon.

It marks the first time in Niermann's career that the two-time First Team All-HCAC honoree has been named Hitter of the Week. His 35 hits through 20 games have him on pace to break his own school record of 68 hits in a season.

Bluffton has no time to relax as the Beavers travel to long-time rival Defiance College for a nine-inning game with the Yellow Jackets on Tuesday, April 2. A win over the Jackets would push Bluffton over .500 in the HCAC for the first time this season heading into the home weekend series with Franklin College.

-BEAVERS-