By: Joseph Watkins, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader to visiting Wittenberg University on Saturday, March 23. The Beavers fell to 7-9 overall, while Wittenberg improved to 7-6.
With the Beavers in a 4-0 hole going into the bottom half of the third inning, they were looking to get on the board. They did just that when senior Colin Gregory (Fremont/Clyde) hit one over the fence, his HCAC-leading seventh of the year, making the score 4-1 in favor of the Tigers.
Bluffton would add two more in the bottom of the sixth when freshman Jeff Strayer (Columbus/Thomas Worthington) got things started with a two-out single. Adam Duncan (Northwood/Lake) followed with a double that plated Strayer. An Alex Lemanski (Miamisburg) single picked up Duncan, making it 4-3 heading into the seventh. Jaxon Rogan (Marysville) would score on a Parker Reynolds (Avon) sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh, evening the score at 4-4. That score held up through nine as the game moved into extra innings.
In the top of the 11th inning, Wittenberg took advantage with two unearned runs as the Tigers won game one by a 6-4 count.
Duncan went 2-of-3 with an RBI, while Rogan also chipped in with two hits. Freshman Carson Curnutte (Hilliard/Davidson) survived two tough innings to open the game, going six frames while allowing four runs on nine hits with three strikeouts. Senior Dante D'Andrea (Westerville/North) was saddled with the loss despite not giving up an earned run in four innings of relief. He struck out three and allowed just two hits.
In game two the Beaver offense would go silent, only scoring two runs, both on fielding errors by the Tigers. Wittenberg's seven tallies were too much for Bluffton to overcome as the Tigers completed their sweep with a 7-2 victory.
Junior Cam Clark (Cairo/Bath) fell to 1-2 after allowing five runs, three earned, on 10 hits in six innings of work. He fanned five in the loss. Strayer and Rogan both finished with multiple hits in game two.
The Beavers are right back at it on Sunday, March 24, when they travel to Goshen, Indiana, to take on the Maple Leafs at 12 p.m.
-BEAVERS-
