April 5, 2008
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Bluffton University softball team evened its record with a pair of Heartland Conference victories at Transylvania University on Saturday, April 5, 2008. The Beavers improved to 12-12 overall and 2-2 in the HCAC while Transy fell to 11-13 with a 2-4 record in conference action.
Bluffton 4, Transylvania 2
Transylvania took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when DEARK singled home BROADHEADwho led off the inning with a base hit.
Junior LINDSEY MILLER (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) opened the top of the second with a single. One out later, Miller stole second before she came around to score when AMANDA HARRIS (Arcanum/Arcanum) singled to right center.
The Beavers pushed two runs across the plate in the top of the third for a 3-1 lead over the home team. TIFFANY BUCKMASTER (Lima/Bath) drew a leadoff walk and she moved to second on a MOLLIE BROWN (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) single. Both runners advanced when KELLIE KENNEY (Toledo/Emmanuel Baptist) executed a sacrifice bunt. A JAYME MARBAUGH (Ohio City/Parkway) groundout plated Buckmaster before Miller's RBI single to left picked up Brown.
Bluffton added an unearned run in the top of the sixth when ABBY SNIDER(Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta), who walked with two outs, came around to score on a Transylvania throwing error following another Harris single.
The Pioneers took advantage of a leadoff triple by LEACH in the home half of the sixth, but BROOKE BABCOCK (Findlay/Findlay) set Transy down in order in the seventh for a 4-2 victory.
Babcock (5-9) held the Pioneers to two runs on six hits in seven innings. She finished with two strikeouts and walked only one batter.
Miller and Harris both collected two hits for the victors.
Bluffton 8, Transylvania 5
Transylvania put single runs on the scoreboard in both the second and third innings of game two while DeArk was perfect for the Pioneers in the circle through the first three innings.
The Bluffton bats came alive for three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Brown singled and promptly stole second. She moved up sixty feet when Kenney put down another sacrifice bunt. A walk to Lindsey Miller and her ensuing theft of second base put two Beavers in scoring position. Babcock delivered with a single to right center which plated both runners. Snider's base knock scored Babcock and gave Bluffton the 3-2 lead.
The Pioneers regained the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth thanks to two hits, a passed ball and a Bluffton error. WINANS and BAINER both laced singles for the Pioneers in the inning.
Two walks and a sacrifice bunt by Brown put two runners in scoring position for Marbaugh who ripped a base knock to left which plated Buckmaster and tied the game at four.
DeArk put Transy up 5-4 when she scored on Winans' groundout after leading off the frame with a two-bagger to right center.
With Transylvania looking to force a series split with the Beavers, Bluffton rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh. TORRIE WILSON (Delphos/Jefferson) and Buckmaster opened the inning with singles. The Beavers loaded the bases when Kenney was hit by a pitch. Miller's single scored Wilson and Buckmaster before Babcock plated Kenney and Miller with a single up the middle.
She limited the Pioneers to just one run on two hits over the final three innings to pick up the victory and improve to 6-9 on the season. Kenney gave up four runs, two earned, on five hits over the first four innings of the game.
Babcock paced Bluffton at the dish, going 2-of-4 with four RBI. Buckmaster and Miller both scored twice for the visitors and Miller also knocked in two runs.
The Beavers jump back into action on Sunday, April 6, when they travel north from Lexington to Cincinnati for a pair of Heartland Conference games at Mt. St. Joseph. The first contest is slated for 1 p.m.
-BEAVERS-