March 7, 2014

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Bluffton University baseball team slipped to 2-4 on the season with a pair of losses to Saint John's and a 3-2 setback at the hands of Olivet College on Friday, March 7, 2014. Saint John's scored four runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings of game one before posting a 3-2 victory in the nightcap.

Bluffton went up 2-0 in game one on Thursday evening after a four-hour rain delay and change of venue. Mike Castro (Reynoldsburg) and Jeff Roth (Bellevue) both crossed the dish in the second inning, helping the Beavers to an early 2-0 lead over Saint John's.

David Ianiro (Highland Heights/Mayfield) doubled home Michael Alexander (Monroe) in the fifth, but the Johnnies exploded for four runs in three straight innings for a 12-3 victory on Thursday evening. Ianiro paced the Beavers with two hits in the opener.

Dyson Bowman (Coshocton) took the loss after allowing six runs on six hits in four innings of work. Halen Core (Reynoldsburg) went just 1.1 innings due to the rain delay in the second inning and he did not allow a run.

Michael Alexander got Bluffton on the board in frame one of the nightcap when he drew a leadoff walk to start the game. Following a ground ball that moved him to second, Alexander crossed the dish on a Tyler Spalding (Willis, Mich./Lincoln) base knock.

Alexander was back in the action during the fourth frame when he singled home Cade Randolph (Marengo/Highland) for a 2-0 lead. Saint John's  answered with a tally in the fourth and the Johnnies rallied for two runs in the seventh. A couple hits, a walk, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly added up to a 3-2 Saint John's victory when the Beavers managed just one hit over the final two innings.

Nate Simonds (Ypsilanti, Mich./Lincoln) was saddled with the loss despite tossing seven strong innings. He allowed just three runs on seven hits with nine strikeouts. Randolph went 2-of-4 to pace the offense in game two.

A three-run first by Olivet in Bluffton's Friday morning contest proved to be all the Comets needed as the Beavers dropped a 3-2 decision. Bluffton tried to rally with two tallies in the seventh, but Olivet held on for the one-run victory. Spalding singled before a Tim Webb (Delaware/Worthington Christian) pinch hit double made the score 3-1. Castro singled home Webb, but the Beavers were unable to push any more runs across the plate in the final two frames.

Webb and Spalding both rapped two hits against the Comets. Core had a fine performance a day after having his outing shortened by rain. He allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings on the hill. Core struck out two and walked five batters in the early game on Friday. Freshman Corey Johnson (Waverly) worked two innings of shutout ball to keep Bluffton in the game.

The Beavers continue their Florida trip with a 7 p.m. meeting with Alvernia College.

-BEAVERS-