TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Bluffton University softball team made the four and a half hour trek to Rose-Hulman on Saturday, April 22, and came away with their first Heartland Conference sweep of the season! Bluffton spanked the Engineers 8-0 in game one and then capped the day with a 5-3 win in the series finale. Bluffton improved to 14-18 overall and 3-7 in the conference, while RHIT fell to 6-20 and 0-10 in the HCAC.
A Julia Tegeder (Hamilton) two-bagger put Bluffton up 1-0 in the top of the second. Her double plated Kaylee Grant (Lima/Shawnee) who led off the frame with a base hit. Mia McCartney (North Baltimore) made it 2-0 in the fourth despite no hits in the inning. She was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a Tegeder groundout, stole third and waltzed home on a Rose throwing error!
Bluffton pushed it to 5-0 with three tallies in the sixth inning. Tegeder's single picked up Grant and McCartney before Riley Hammonds (Russia) plated Tegeder for a 5-0 advantage.
Back-to-back doubles by Tegeder and Kayleigh Michael (Eaton/National Trail) pushed the lead to 7-0 and Kryshel Dales (Defiance/Ayersville) capped the scoring with an RBI groundout in the seventh, scoring Michael for an 8-0 lead.
Tegeder had a monster game one, going 3-of-4 with four RBI, two runs scored and two doubles. Grant was 3-of-4 with three runs scored. Bobbi Adams (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) was a perfect 2-of-2 for the visitors. Hammonds and Michael added two hits apiece.
Senior Erin Norman (Pleasant Hill/Newton) was outstanding in the circle. She allowed just two hits with two walks in her complete-game shutout. Norman upped her season mark to 8-9 with the victory.
Sophomore Hayley Lewis (Kettering/Fairmont) got the Beavers going in game two when the cleanup hitter smacked a two-run double to right center that plated Grant and pinch runner Hailey Lennard (North Baltimore).
Grant singled home Michael in the second and Michael's double in the third picked up McCartney for a 4-2 Beaver lead.
With Bluffton clinging to a 4-3 score in the seventh, singles by Dales and Adams put runners on the corners with just one out. Pinch runner Ashley Kloeker (Troy) broke for second and drew the throw as Dales scampered home with a crucial insurance run for the Beavers who capped off their sweep at RHIT with a 5-3 victory.
Dales went 3-of-4 and scored the insurance run in inning seven. Grant chipped in with two hits while Lewis drove in two runs.
Grace Fillinger (Hinckley/Highland) evened up her season mark at 6-6 with a bulldog-like effort in game two. She scattered 10 hits over seven innings while allowing just three runs with one strikeout and one walk in a complete-game victory.
Bluffton will now look to build on winning three of its past four games as the Beavers gear up for a monumental home stand of eight games over six days. HCAC-leading Mount St. Joseph kicks off the week with a pair at Bluffton Field on Tuesday, April 25. Game one is slated for 3:30 p.m.
-BEAVERS-