March 28, 2008
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Alma College bats proved too much for the Beavers on Friday, March 28, 2008, as the Scots swept the Bluffton University softball team 14-2 and 12-7. Bluffton fell to 9-9 while Alma improved to 10-5 following a pair of road victories.
Alma 14, Bluffton 2 (6 innings)
The Scots jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when HOUSTON VERBECK'S routine fly to left hit the ground for a two-base error which plated MISSY MORCOM. Following a walk to BRITTANY FALES, SARAH JOHNSON came through with an RBI single to left field.
Alma took advantage of four hits and a pair of Bluffton errors in the top of the fourth to post a six spot on the Beavers for an 8-0 lead.
With MOLLIE BROWN (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) on first in the bottom of the fifth, JAYME MARBAUGH (Ohio City/Parkway) homered to right center, cutting the deficit to six runs and sending the game to the sixth inning.
The Scots wasted no time responding to the Beavers as Alma put the game away with six more scores in the top of the sixth for a 14-2 victory over the home team.
Mollie Brown went 2-of-3 to lead the Beavers and Marbaugh plated two runs with her fifth-inning homer. BROOKE BABCOCK (Findlay/Findlay) fell to 4-7 with the loss. She finished the contest with five strikeouts.
Alma 12, Bluffton 7
Following a one-two-three inning by KELLIE KENNEY (Toledo/Emmanuel Baptist) to open the second game, Bluffton scored twice in the home half for an early 2-0 lead. A throwing error by the Alma pitcher allowed Marbaugh to cross the plate after she stole third base. Kenney helped her cause with an RBI-double to left center which scored LINDSEY MILLER(Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta).
The Scots used a Bluffton error in the top of the second to cut the deficit in half before the Alma bats came alive for five runs in the third inning.
Miller opened the home half of the third with a double to right center. Pinch runner TORRIE WILSON (Delphos/Jefferson) motored around to score following Kenney's base hit down the left field line.
Bluffton cut the gap to two runs in the bottom of the fourth when Miller picked up Mollie Brown with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Alma answered with three runs in the top of the fifth despite only two hits. A pair of passed balls and another Bluffton error allowed the Scots to take a 9-4 lead.
Jayme Marbaugh hit her second dinger of the afternoon in the sixth inning, knocking in Mollie Brown who opened the frame with an infield single.
A Brooke Babcock long ball to left center made the score 12-7 in favor of the visitors with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but that was the end of Bluffton's scoring as Alma held on to complete the sweep of the Beavers.
Mollie Brown, who finished the day 5-for-7, went 3-of-4 in game two with two runs scored. Marbaugh, Miller, Kenney and KAYLA WILLIAMS (Elida/Elida) all finished with two hits in the nightcap. Marbaugh and Kenney both drove in two runs. Marbaugh scored twice in the second contest. Both teams tallied 12 hits in the second game, but Bluffton committed five errors in the loss.
Kenney fell to 5-2 with the loss.
The Beavers return to action on Saturday, March 29, when they host Rose-Hulman for Bluffton's first Heartland Conference series of 2008. The first game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
-BEAVERS-