March 9, 2012
BLUFFTON, Ohio - A pair of four-run innings was the story of the day as the Bluffton University softball team came away with a split on Friday, March 9, 2012. Bridgewater improved to 9-1 on the season when the Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to claim an 8-7 victory in the first game of the day. Bluffton recovered quickly with four unearned runs in the bottom of the second en route to a 4-1 victory over Albion College.
KATIE CLARK (New Palestine, Ind.) doubled home BRITTANY BAKER (Springboro) with a one out in the first inning of the Bridgewater contest. They both came around to score when fellow freshman LINDSEY ROBERTSON (Cincinnati/Northwest) singled to right field. She crossed the dish on EMILY MANAHAN'S (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) RBI groundout.
Bridgewater came right back with three scores of their own in the bottom half thanks to two hits, an error and a walk. Two errors led to a couple Bluffton runs in the top of the third frame. JENELLE THEISEN (Carleton, MI/St. Mary Catholic Central) and Manahan both crossed the plate as the Beavers took a 5-3 lead.
The Eagles pulled within one run before two more Bluffton tallies an inning later pushed the visiting team to a 7-4 lead. Baker picked up SHELBY ERFORD (Paulding) with a sacrifice fly and Katie Clark plated MEAGAN PRICE (Toledo/Springfield) with a ground ball to second base.
With Bluffton looking to salt away a win over a Bridgewater team that lost its first game of the season in extra innings to Trine just two hours before, the Eagles rapped out six singles and a sacrifice bunt for a shocking 8-7 victory over the Beavers. Bridgewater rallied for the win much like Bluffton did against the Eagles a year ago when Shelby Erford smacked a two-run walk-off homer at the 2011 Rebel Games.
Robertson and Osborne paced the Bluffton offense with three and two hits, respectively. Seven different Beavers scored a run in the loss. MEGAN PATTON (Waynesfield/Perry) went six innings, giving up six runs, four earned, on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts. CHLOE SHELL (Covington) fell to 2-2 after coming on in the seventh with two runners on and no outs. She allowed two runs on four hits.
The Beavers scored runs in just one inning during game two, but four second-inning tallies was all Bluffton needed to put away Albion College. ALEXANDRA HAUGH (Highland, Ind./Andrean) ignited the splurge with one out when she singled to center field. Osborne reached on an Albion miscue before a JESSICA KUZARA (Flat Rock, Mich./Huron) base knock loaded the sacks. A wild pitch sent Haugh scurrying home and a Shelby Erford sacrifice bunt plated Osborne. Price walked and she and Kuzara pulled off a double steal to make the score 3-0. Baker doubled home Price for a 4-0 lead.
Shell tossed three innings of no-hit ball to up her season record to 3-2. KAYLA OWENS(Cincinnati/McAuley) worked four innings of relief for her first save of the season. She walked three and allowed one run on two hits. Osborne went 2-of-3 to finish the afternoon 4-of-7 at the plate.
Bluffton wraps up its Florida trip with two more games on Saturday, March 10, 2012. The Beavers play the Coast Guard at 9 a.m.
-BEAVERS-