April 16, 2016
By: Owen Lugibihl, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team hosted conference foe Mount St. Joseph on a beautiful spring afternoon. Although the weather was looking up the Beaver results were not as the home team dropped both games of the double header, 8-4 in game one and 6-4 in game two. With the losses, the Beavers dropped to 12-16 overall and 0-6 in the HCAC, while the Lions improved to 13-16-1 overall and 4-6 in conference play.
Josie McElroy (Mt. Orab/Western Brown) powered the offensive game early in the first inning for the Beavers, driving in Makenzie Schmidt (Caledonia/River Valley) on a two-bagger to left center, for a 1-0 lead. McElroy advanced to third on a passed ball and was sent home on an RBI double down the left field line by Jessie Madzia (Massillon/Tuslaw), making the score 2-0.
Two runs in the third and a single tally in the fourth gave Mount St. Joseph a temporary 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Kelsi Wilson (Pataskala/Licking Heights) doubled to left center, plating Madzia and McElroy, while also recapturing the lead for the Beavers, 4-3.
Four MSJ scores in the sixth and one run in the seventh secured the first win of the day for Mount St. Joseph, 8-4.
The Beavers were led at the plate by Josie McElroy who went 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored in game one. Jessie Madzia and Kelsi Wilson also collected a hit as well as one and two RBI, respectively.
Jessie Madzia also did her work on the mound for the Beavers, tossing 5.2 innings while allowing 10 hits and six earned runs. She walked five batters while slipping to 3-7 on the year. Emily Scupholm (Cuyahoga Falls/Our Lady of the Elms) pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run.
The second game opened with the Beavers tallying the first two runs in the third inning. McElroy reached after being hit by a pitch before moving to third after a dropped fly ball off the bat of Brittany Huff (Clayton/Northmont). Chelsea Zoltowski (Sylvania/Southview) drove the pair in with an opposite field single, putting the Beavers up 2-0.
The Beavers held their 2-0 lead into the top of the seventh but the Lions rallied with one out remaining, scoring six runs on their first six hits of the game, to take the lead at 6-2. The Beavers attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, with Makenzie Schmidt scoring on a throwing error. Brittany Huff's single to right center scored McElroy, but it was not enough as Bluffton dropped the capper by a 6-4 count.
Chelsea Zoltowski and Brittany Huff led the sticks for the Beavers, driving in two runs and one run, respectively. Five other Beaver batters managed to tally a hit, most notably Kelsi Wilson who went 2-for-3.
Nicole Thomas (Tontogany/Otsego) had it rolling on the mound, just one out away from a no-hitter before MSJ turned the tables. Thomas (2-3)pitched 6.2 innings and gave up five earned runs on four hits. Scupholm pitched 0.1 innings, allowing two hits and one earned run.
The Beavers will take on Rose-Hulman, at home, in a rescheduled conference matchup on Sunday, April 17. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. Come out and support your Bluffton University softball team!
-BEAVERS-
