By Evan Skilliter, sports information assistant
Stats http://www.bluffton.edu/sports/baseball/2012/03-20-bb.htm
The Beavers notched their sixth win of the year on Tuesday, March 20, in a big way, beating the visiting Ohio Northern Polar Bears 18-8 at Memorial Field. With the win Bluffton improved to 6-8 on the season while the Polar Bears dipped to 4-9. A 15-run splurge by the Beavers in innings five, six and seven was the difference as Bluffton forced the visitors to use seven pitchers on the day.
The Beavers gave up one run in the top of the first, but answered in the bottom half when Nick Broyles (Toledo/Whitmer) hit a bases-loaded double that scored Kyle Niermann (Napoleon) and Tyler Stephenson (Springfield/Northwestern), giving Bluffton a 2-1 advantage after one inning.
The Polar Bears scored a run in the top of the fifth to take a 5-3 lead, but the home team answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by a Broyles three-run bomb that plated Stephenson and Tyler Wright (Troy) for an 8-5 lead heading into the sixth inning.
The Beavers answered an Ohio Northern run in the top of the sixth with four more in the bottom of the frame. An RBI single by Niermann scored Broyles. A bases-clearing three-run double by Miles Richardson (Granville/Newark Catholic) drove in Mike Castro (Reynoldsburg), pinch runner Christian Vail (Lucas), and Niermann, making the score 12-6 going to the seventh.
The Polar Bears managed to push across two runs in the top of the seventh, but the Beavers responded again by scoring six more in the bottom to push the lead out to 18-8. David Ianiro (Highland Heights) closed the game by striking out three batters in the top of the ninth to cap the Beavers' sixth win of the season and third in their last four contests.
Niermann, Richardson, and Broyles led the Beavers at the plate. Niermann went 3-for-5 at the dish, drove in three runs and scored twice. Richardson finished 3-for-6 with four RBI, while Broyles went 2-of-4 with five RBI and three runs scored.
Halen Core (Reynoldsburg) earned the win on the hill for the Beavers, improving his record to 2-0 on the year. The freshman flame thrower tossed 3.1 innings, gave up two earned runs on five hits, and tallied five strikeouts with one walk. Freshman Brad Schlabach (Fredericksburg/Hiland) started for the Beavers, giving up four runs (two earned) on seven hits while striking out three and not walking a batter. The Bluffton staff registered 11 strikeouts and allowed just one free pass, while ONU walked nine batters and hit three others.
The Beavers travel to Manchester on Friday, March 23, for their first HCAC series of the season with the Spartans. They will get back to action at home on March 27 when they welcome Denison (4:15 p.m.) to Memorial Field.
