April 6, 2014

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Hanover College Panthers avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of Bluffton when the visitors put a run on the board in the eighth and four more in the ninth for a 9-4 victory on April 6, 2014. The Beaver baseball team fell to 10-12 overall and 3-7 in the Heartland Conference, while Hanover improved to 8-12 and 4-6 in the HCAC.

Freshman Jaylen Von Sossan (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) navigated around trouble in the first two innings, allowing one run in each frame despite four hits, a wild pitch and an error. The Beavers came back with two of their own in the bottom of the second thanks to four hits and a walk. Christian Vail (Lucas) and Michael Alexander (Monroe) notched RBI singles before David Ianiro (Highland Heights/Mayfield) lined into an inning-ending double play.

Bluffton went up 4-2 in the fourth following two hits and three Hanover errors in the inning. Vail and Jeff Roth (Bellevue) both crossed the dish for the two-run advantage.

The visitors knotted it back up with two tallies in the top of the fifth before a sacrifice fly to center in the eighth gave Hanover a slim 5-4 lead. After Bluffton was unable to get on the board in the home half, the Panthers blew it open with four scores in the ninth. A pair of walks was all Bluffton could muster as Hanover avoided the sweep with a 9-4 Sunday victory.

Michael Alexander went 4-of-5 to lead the Bluffton offense. Hickey, who continued his hot hitting, and Vail both added two safeties. Corey Johnson (Waverly) took the loss despite allowing just one run on three hits in 2.2 solid innings of relief. Johnson fanned three batters and did not allow a walk. Von Sossan allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits in 4.2 innings.

Bluffton will try to shake it off quickly as the Beavers host Earlham College at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8. Come out and support your Beavers!

-BEAVERS-