March 29, 2016
By: Colton Steiner, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team picked up its first sweep of the season as they defeated the Olivet College Comets, 10-8 and 3-2. The victories helped Bluffton improve to 12-10 while the Comets fell to 11-5.
The first game was a scoring spree for both teams as Olivet opened with four runs in the top of the first inning. JESSIE MADZIA (Tuslaw/Massillon) would get the ball rolling for Bluffton as she led off the home half with a double. Madzia crossed the dish after a fielder’s choice ground ball. CHELSEA ZOLTOWSKI (Sylvania/Southview) notched a two-run double, cutting the Comets’ lead to 4-3.
Olivet pushed it to 7-3 in the third inning after a solo homer and a two-run shot. Bluffton exploded for five runs in the bottom of the inning, taking an 8-7 lead. The Beavers made it 7-4 after an RBI single by ABIGAIL BLAKE (Lancaster/Fairfield Union) scored MAKENZIE SCHMIDT (Caledonia/River Valley). A two-run double by KELSI WILSON (Pataskala/Licking Heights) made the score 8-6 in favor of the Comets. RBIs by Madzia and Reeder turned the tables and put the home team up, 8-7. Olivet evened the score in the fourth with the Comets' fourth long ball of the game.
Bluffton would answer with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, making it a 10-8 ballgame. Kelsi Wilson gave the Beavers a 9-8 lead after scorching a triple down the down the right field line that drove in Abigail Blake. An RBI single by Jessie Madzia extended the lead to 10-8. NICOLE THOMAS (Tontogany/Otsego) would come in to finish the outing for the Beavers and she allowed only two hits in the final three innings while striking out four batters en route to her first career save.
Kelsi Wilson paced the Beavers offensively as she went 3-for-4 and collected three RBI in the lidlifter. Jessie Madzia pounded three hits while JOSIE McELROY (Mt. Orab/Western Brown) and KELSEY REEDER (Galion/Northmor) notched two hits apiece.
EMILY SCUPHOLM (Cuyahoga Falls/Our Lady of the Elms) started the game on the mound for Bluffton and improved to 7-4 on the season with the win. Scupholm allowed eight runs on 11 hits in her four innings of work. With 78 total pitches, she fanned four batters without issuing a walk.
The second game was the complete opposite of game one as there would be no hits by either team in the first two innings. Olivet would get on the board first in the top of the third after a two-run single by Larissa Ludwick.
The Beavers couldn’t get going offensively until the bottom of the sixth. Kelsey Reeder led off the inning with a walk. A double by BRITTANY HUFF (Clayton/Northmont) moved her to third with the tying run on second. Sophomore Chelsea Zoltowski flexed her muscles on a 3-1 Olivet offering, belting a three-run shot to left, stunning the Comets as the Beavers took their first lead of the game. Madzia worked around a two-out error as Bluffton locked up its first sweep in Ohio.
Leading the charge for the Beavers was Chelsea Zoltowski who went 2-for-3 and notched three RBI in game two. Jessie Madzia, Brittany Huff and Makenzie Schmidt each collected a hit.
Madzia improved to 3-4 on the season in a complete-game effort. She went all seven innings, allowing two runs off six hits. The sophomore struck out four and walked four while tossing 116 pitches.
The Beavers will look to keep their hot streak alive when they travel to Lexington, Ky., to take on Transylvania in the HCAC opener on Saturday, April 2. You can follow the action on our Twitter page @bluffton_sports.
-BEAVERS-
