March 31, 2008
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team snapped its five-game losing skid with an 8-4 victory over Adrian College on Monday, March 31, 2008. Bluffton dropped the first game to the Bulldogs by a 4-2 count. The Beavers are now 10-12 overall while Adrian improved to 6-9 following the split.
Adrian 4, Bluffton 2
Adrian put together three hits in the top of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead over Bluffton. The Bulldogs came back to put another run on the board an inning later when KRISSY SHEETS, who led off the frame with a double, crossed the plate on an infield groundout.
The Beavers left the bases loaded in the second and two runners on in the fourth before Bluffton trimmed the deficit to a single run with two scores in the bottom of the fifth. MOLLIE BROWN(Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) led off the frame with a single to center field. With runners on the corners, BROOKE BABCOCK (Findlay/Findlay) helped herself with a two-bagger to right center that plated Brown and KELLIE KENNEY (Toledo/Emmanuel Baptist).
Bluffton came up empty in the sixth and seventh innings while Adrian tacked on an unearned run in the top of the seventh for a 4-2 victory over the Beavers.
TORRIE WILSON (Delphos/Jefferson), who finished the day 4-of-5, went 2-for-2 in the opener to lead the Beavers. JAYME MARBAUGH (Ohio City/Parkway) and Babcock both collected multiple hits for a Bluffton team that left nine runners stranded for the game.
Babcock fell to 4-9 on the season despite limiting Adrian to four runs, three earned, over seven innings with five strikeouts and no walks.
Bluffton 8, Adrian 4
Bluffton wasted no time jumping on top in the second game, putting two runs on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning. With one out and ABBY SNIDER (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) on first base, Jayme Marbaugh cranked her third home run of the season over the wall in left field for the 2-0 lead.
The Bulldogs responded with three unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning. With the bases juiced and two outs, JENNA KLOSTER delivered a three-RBI double to right field before she was thrown out going to third.
Two innings later, Bluffton regained the lead for good when the Beavers added three runs of their own. Brown led off with a double to left center. One out later, Marbaugh was hit by a pitch and LINDSEY MILLER (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) followed with an RBI single up the middle. Babcock's squeeze plated Marbaugh and a walk to Kenney loaded the bases. Wilson made it 5-3 with her RBI single through the right side.
Adrian cut the Bluffton lead to one in the bottom of the fifth, but the Beavers posted two more runs on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. With two outs and two Beavers in scoring position, Miller delivered a double to the fence in left center, plating Brown and Snider.
Bluffton tacked on an unearned run in the seventh when Wilson crossed the plate for the last score in the Beavers' 8-4 victory over Adrian.
Lindsey Miller continued her torrid hitting, going 3-of-4 with one run scored and three RBI. Wilson went 2-for-3 in the nightcap. Brown, Snider and Marbaugh all scored two runs in the victory and Marbaugh drove in a a pair of runs for the Beavers.
Kenney improved to 6-3 with the complete game four-hitter. She gave up four runs, only one earned, and finished with three strikeouts.
Bluffton returns to action on Friday, April 4, when it travels to Mt. St. Joseph for a Heartland Conference showdown with MSJ before continuing down Interstate 75 for two games at Transylvania on Saturday, April 5. The Beavers are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. against the Lions on Friday afternoon.
-BEAVERS-