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Bluffton rolls over Anderson in first round of HCAC Tournament

Posted: May 07, 2010

May 7, 2010

LEXINGTON, Kentucky - The Bluffton University softball team scored in four of the first five innings en route to a convincing 7-2 victory over Anderson University on Friday, May 7, 2010. Bluffton improved to 18-20 on the season while the Ravens slipped to 18-21. With the victory, Bluffton advances to play the winner of #1 Transylvania University and #4 Manchester College at 4 p.m. It marks the first time in the past four years that the Beavers have won their opening round game and it assures  Bluffton that it will playing tomorrow regardless of the outcome this afternoon.

Following a scoreless first for both teams, Bluffton went up 1-0 in the bottom of the second. EMILY MANAHAN (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) laced a one-out double down the left field line and she came around to score on a SHELBY WADE (Delaware/Buckeye Valleye) single to center.

The Beavers blew it open with four runs on five hits an inning later. MEAGAN PRICE(Toledo/Springfield) led off with a single to left. She went to second thanks to TORRIE WILSON'S (Delphos/Jefferson) sacrifice bunt. A single to center by JAYME MARBAUGH (Ohio City/Parkway) put runners on first and second for CHELSIE OSBORNE (Chillicothe/Waverly) who legged out an infield single. BROOKE BABCOCK (Findlay), who faced just 10 batters through the first three innings, helped her cause with a two-run single to center field. Sophomore JESSICA MCDONALD (Mechanicsburg) singled, moving pinch runner TIFFANY BUCKMASTER (Lima/Bath) to third. She crossed the plate on a Raven passed ball, making the score 5-0 in favor of Bluffton.

Jayme Marbaugh added an RBI base hit in the fourth and Brooke Babcock, who doubled to start the fifth, scored on a wild pitch for a 7-0 lead. Bluffton had STEVIE CUTTITTA (Columbiaville, Mich./Clio) on third with one out in the fifth, but the Beavers could not finish off the Ravens in five innings. Anderson took advantage of a couple Bluffton errors in the sixth to score two runs before the Beavers closed out game one of the tournament with a 7-2 victory.

Babcock went 2-of-3 with two RBI and one run scored. Jayme Marbaugh also added two safeties. Seven Beavers scored in the 7-2 win. Babcock allowed no runs and just one hit in three innings of work on the mound. She fanned three before having to go to second base following a Bluffton injury. Cuttitta did a fine job in relief, giving up two runs, none earned, in four innings.

TRANSYLVANIA 10, BLUFFTON 3

The Beavers advanced to the next round of the tournament, where they faced Transylvania in the winners bracket. Bluffton started the game hot, leading 2-0, but Transylvania picked it up through the next six innings as the Beavers fell to Transylvania by a 10-3 count.

Wilson started the game off with an infield single before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tiffany Buckmaster. She then scored following consecutive fielder's choices. Osborne came around to score on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder.
 
Transylvania slowly worked its way back into the game, adding a single run in each of the next two innings to make it 2-2 at the end of three. Bluffton was again held scoreless in the fourth, but Transylvania did not stop, as they knocked in two more runs on a single to left by LADANYI.
 
Transylvania made it 5-2 in the fifth before Bluffton cut into the deficit with Shelby Wade's RBI single to right field which plated ALLISON RADOMSKI (Fairfield/Cincinnati Christian).
 
Transylvania put the game out of reach with five runs on five hits in the sixth inning. Ladayni again came through with an RBI triple before BROADHEAD capped the barrage with a two-run double. The Beavers could not manage to push any more runs across the plate in the seventh as they fell to Transylvania 10-3.
 
Wilson led the team, going 2-of-4 with a run scored. Wade and Marbaugh each added a hit as well as an RBI. Osborne and Radomski both scored a run for the Beavers. The win went to DeArk who pitched a complete game, allowing three runs, two of which were earned. She struck out three for the night. Brooke Babcock took the loss, going 4.1 innings while allowing seven runs.

The Beavers continue in the HCAC tournament when they face Manchester tomorrow at Transylvania. The game is slated to start at 11 a.m. and the winner earns the right to play in the championship game against Transylvania.

-BEAVERS-