March 13, 2009
BLUFFTON 7, URSULINE 6
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team plated two runs in each of the first three innings before having to push a run across in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 7-6 win in the lidlifter. A six-run third and four-run fourth powered the Beavers to a 12-7 victory over Ursuline College in the nightcap. With the victories, Bluffton upped its season mark to 10-2 heading into a Saturday doubleheader against Notre Dame College on March 14, 2009.
With two outs in the first, junior JAYME MARBAUGH (Ohio City/Parkway) followed a BROOKE BABCOCK (Findlay) single with an RBI triple that sent the left fielder through the fence. She made it 2-0 following an Ursuline wild pitch. TORRIE WILSON'S(Delphos/Jefferson) bunt single in the second plated ALLISON RADOMSKI(Fairfield/Cincinnati Christian) before a bases loaded walk to Babcock made it 4-0.
The Arrows cut the deficit to one thanks to a three-run bomb by AMY DIFIORE in the top of the third. It was her first of three during the doubleheader as she hit one against each of Bluffton's three pitchers.
A KELLIE KENNEY (Toledo/Emmanuel Baptist) double to left center scored CHELSIE OSBORNE (Chillicothe/Waverly) in the home half of the third and DANIELLE SHORTSLE'S(Alma, Mich./Alma) base knock scored Kenney, making 6-3 in favor of the Beavers.
DiFiore kept the game interesting with her second three-run dinger of the game in the seventh following a pair of Ursuline singles, but Osborne came around to score after a leadoff walk in the home half of the seventh, giving Bluffton the 7-6 victory over the Arrows. She moved up a base on an EMILY MANAHAN (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) bunt that Ursuline failed to record an out on and Kenney's sacrifice bunt allowed her to go to third with one down before she raced home on Shortsle's grounder to third base.
Osborne was 2-of-2 with two runs scored and two walks. Wilson and and Marbaugh both finished 2-of-4 and Shortsle drove home two runs. Babcock, who came on to relieve Kenney in the fourth, moved to 5-1 with the victory. She struck out five batters and gave up three runs on five hits in 3.1 innings of work.
BLUFFTON 12, URSULINE 7
With the score tied at one heading to the third inning, Bluffton exploded for 10 runs over the next two frames. Two Ursuline errors set the stage for six Bluffton scores in the top of the third. A walk to LINDSEY MILLER (Wapakoneta) loaded the bases for Chelsie Osborne who singled to left, picking up Torrie Wilson and Jayme Marbaugh when the catcher could not hold on to the ball at the plate. Babcock laced a two-RBI single to right and one out later, MEAGAN PRICE'S(Toledo/Springfield) base knock plated Manahan and Babcock for a 7-1 lead.
Ursuline again trimmed the deficit with three scores on five hits in the bottom of the third to make it 7-4 before the Beavers nailed it down with four more runs in the fourth. Miller's second hit of the game drove in Wilson and following a base knock by Osborne, Babcock delivered a two-RBI double to the gap in right center. Manahan's single plated Babcock and the rout was on, 11-4.
A Marbaugh double and three free passes issued by the Arrows in the top of the sixth made it 12-5 before DiFiore smacked her third homer of the afternoon in the bottom of the inning. With daylight fading, both teams struggled to move the ball in the seventh as Bluffton completed the sweep with a 12-7 victory.
KRISTIN AGAUAS (Bloomfield, Mich./Andover) went the distance, improving to 2-1 on the year. She gave up seven runs on 12 hits in seven innings of work with five strikeouts. Brooke Babcock led six Beavers with multiple hits, going 2-of-4 with four RBI and two runs scores. Wilson, Marbaugh, Miller, Osborne and Manahan all collected two hits in the victory. Miller and Price both drove home two scores in game two. DiFiore finished the day 5-for-8 with three homers and nine RBI.
Bluffton returns to action on Saturday, March 14, when the Beavers host Notre Dame College for a doubleheader. The first contest is slated for 1 p.m. at Marbeck Field.