Game 1 stats: http://www.bluffton.edu/sports/baseball/2012/03-31-b1.htm>
I Game 2 stats: http://www.bluffton.edu/sports/baseball/2012/03-31-b2.htm
The Bluffton University baseball team took down league-leading Rose-Hulman 3-1 in game one and saw a ninth-inning rally come up just short in the nightcap as the Beavers improved to 9-11 overall and 2-3 in the HCAC. Rose moved to 13-5 (4-1 HCAC) with the split on Saturday, March 31, 2012.
Middle infielders Nick Broyles (Toledo/Whitmer) and Anthony Cianci (Ravenna/Southeast) sandwiched doubles around a pair of outs in the top of the third frame as Bluffton took the early 1-0 lead.
The visitors made it 3-0 in the third thanks to four hits in the inning. Junior standout Kyle Niermann (Napoleon) opened with a base hit and he moved to second on a wild pitch. A Miles Richardson (Granville/Newark Catholic) flyout sent Niermann to third before all-time hits leader Tyler Stephenson (Springfield/Northwestern) singled him home. Following singles by Tyler Wright (Troy) and Nick Broyles, a passed ball made the score 3-0.
Richardson kept Rose off the scoreboard until the fifth when RHIT used a walk, a couple hits and a passed ball to trim the Bluffton lead to 3-1. One more hit in the sixth inning was all the Engineers could muster as Richardson improved to 3-3 with the complete-game victory. He allowed just six hits and walked three in the win. Stephenson and Broyles both went 2-of-3 in game one.
The home team used nine hits in the first three innings to go up 5-0 over the Beavers in the second contest. A Will Burchett sacrifice fly in the fifth pushed the Rose lead to 6-0 after five innings.
Bluffton racked up four hits in the sixth inning en route to a pair of tallies. Singles from Wright and Greg Franks (Smithville) to open the frame set the stage for an RBI double by Matt McKinney (Columbus Grove/Bath). An Anthony Cianci infield hit plated Franks, making the score 6-2.
RHIT added a valuable insurance run in the eighth as Bluffton made a game of it in the final inning. Broyles singled with one down. One out later, he crossed the dish thanks to an Engineer miscue with Airic Steagall (Hillsboro) at the plate. Cianci continued his hot hitting, ripping an RBI two-bagger before the home team went to the bullpen to close out the 7-4 victory.
Cianci finished game two 3-of-5 with two RBI to pace the Bluffton offense. Niermann, Richardson and Wright all finished with two hits, while Wright scored two runs in the loss. Ben Roeschley (Graymont, Ill./Flanagan) slipped to 0-4 after allowing five runs on nine hits in three innings. Freshman Brad Schlabach (Fredericksburg/Hiland) kept the Beavers in the game, limiting the Engineers to two runs, one earned, on five hits in five innings of relief. He fanned six Rose batters.
The Beavers wrap up the series at Rose on Sunday, April 1. The rubber match is slated for 12 p.m. in Terre Haute, Ind.
