April 16, 2016
By: Ryan Schadewald, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University Beavers dropped a pair to the HCAC-leading Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on Saturday, April 16. They fell in the opener, 5-2, and were shut out 5-0 in the nightcap. The wins keeps RHIT atop the conference standings with a 10-3 mark and a 18-7 scoresheet overall. The Beavers dropped to 9-18 overall and 4-10 in HCAC play.
The Engineers garnered one run apiece in the third and fifth frames to take a 2-0 lead. Rose would take advantage of a fatigued freshman hurler in Brantley Curnutte (Hilliard/Davidson) and got to him for three in the sixth as the Engineers opened a 5-0 spread.
The Beavers loaded up the bases on three straight singles in the sixth but were unable to plate a run to get on the board. An inning later, Tanner Hamilton (Centerville) led off the seventh with a double and came around to score on a Tanner Hodges (Taylor, Mich./John F. Kennedy) single as the Beavers made it 5-1.
The eighth would see the Beavers score their second and final run of the game when Blake Fox (Berne, Ind./South Adams) drove a base hit which scored Jason Colliver (Beavercreek) and made it a 5-2 contest.
Ian Grantand Cody Sunderhaus combined to record the final four outs as Sunderhaus notched his fourth save of the season.
On the mound, Curnutte gave up five runs, all earned, in 5.1 innings of work while striking out three. Kevin Every (Zanesville/West Muskingum) threw 3.2 innings and gave up just three hits while striking out four for the Beavers. Andrew Stull improved to 3-2 on the season, giving up two earned runs in the victory for Rose.
Offensively, Clayton Siders (Delaware/Worthington Christian) had a great contest, finishing 4-for-4 in the opener. Jason Colliver also added two hits and scored a run for Bluffton.
The Engineers shut down the Beaver offense again in the nightcap, earning a 5-0 victory. Rose started the scoring right away with one run apiece in the first and third frames to take a 2-0 lead.
The story was Engineer righty Karson Nixon who worked a no-hitter through 4.2 innings before Brandon Marable (Columbus/Hamilton Township) ended his chance with a slow roller to the third baseman that earned him a single.
Rose-Hulman would add three more in the eighth inning as Nixon continued his dominance of the Beavers in the complete-game shutout victory. Nixon went the distance for RHIT, giving up just three hits and walking one while striking out ten.
Corey Johnson (Waverly) started on the bump for the Beavers, throwing seven strong innings and giving up just two runs, one of them earned, while striking out three. Austin Every (Zanesville/West Muskingum) was tabbed for the three eighth inning runs, while Raymond Richard (Taylor, Mich./John F. Kennedy) threw two shutout frames to finish the contest.
The two teams will wrap up the three-game set on Sunday, April 17, at Memorial Field. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. Come support your Beavers!
-BEAVERS-
