April 17, 2007
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team was no match for the Denison University Big Red on a sunny Tuesday, April 17, 2007. The Beavers dropped the first contest by a final count of 8-1 and the second game by a score of 6-1. With the losses, Bluffton fell to 6-12 while the Big Red improved to 17-11.
GAME ONE - DENISON 8, BLUFFTON 1
In the opener, Denison took the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first when MACKENZIE BREEDING crossed the plate on a fielder's choice.
The Big Red took advantage of four singles and a slew of mental errors in the field to paste three runs on the scoreboard in the second inning.
Sophomore captain LINDSEY MILLER (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) found her pitch in the bottom of the second and drove it over the right center field fence for the Beavers' only run of the game, a solo home run.
Denison tacked on unearned runs in the third and sixth innings before the Big Red put the game on ice with two more runs thanks to three errors in the top of the seventh.
KELLIE KENNEY (Toledo/Emmanuel Baptist) took the loss, giving up six runs, three earned, on eight hits. She fell to 5-6 on the year as her defense made nine errors in the first game.
JEN ANTHONY scattered six hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts in upping her record to 4-4 on the season.
Miller was a perfect 3-of-3 at the plate with a solo homer. Freshman LAURA BROWN(Sullivan/Black River) rapped a pair of singles in the loss to the Big Red.
GAME TWO - DENISON 6, BLUFFTON 1
The Beavers threatened to take the early lead in the nightcap with five baserunners in the first two innings, but a pickoff and three runners left on base kept Bluffton off the scoreboard.
Game two starter BROOKE BABCOCK (Findlay/Findlay) set the Big Red down in order in innings one and two before Denison used three hits, two for extra bases, to take a 3-0 lead after three innings.
A leadoff walk to GRETCHEN HANDLEY (Ashland/Ashland) paid dividends for the Beavers in the fourth. She moved to second on JENNA MAYER'S (Lima/Shawnee) single up the middle before a free pass to Brown loaded the bases. KATIE AMMONS (Findlay/Findlay) picked up the RBI when she worked a bases loaded walk. RACHEL THOMAS struck out Babcock with the bases juiced and induced JAYME MARBAUGH (Ohio City/Parkway) into an inning-ending lineout to the shortstop.
Four consecutive hits to open the sixth, including three doubles, provided all the insurance Denison needed as BRI SCROFANO limited Bluffton to a pair of singles over the final three innings for her first save of the season.
Babcock (1-6) went the distance and took the loss for Bluffton, giving up six runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts.
Ammons went 2-for-3 in the second game with a run batted in. Handley scored the lone run for the Beavers who managed only five hits in the contest, 11 for the day.
The Beavers return to action on Friday, April 20, 2007, when they welcome Heartland Conference rival Mt. St. Joseph for a doubleheader on Strike-Out Cancer Day at Bluffton. The first game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.
-BEAVERS-