April 23, 2016
FRANKLIN, Ind. - The Bluffton University baseball team split a doubleheader with the Franklin College Grizzlies on Saturday, April 23. The Beavers won the opener, 4-1, before a big second inning doomed them to a 14-4 nightcap defeat. Bluffton moved to 11-20 overall and 6-12 in HCAC action, while the Grizzlies stand 12-19 and 7-11 in the conference.
The visitors began the scoring in the first inning, as Tommy Nobile (Reynoldsburg) stroked a double to score Luke Hickey (Toledo/Whitmer) and put Bluffton up, 1-0.
The Grizzlies would tie the contest at 1-1 in the second frame, but Bluffton starter Dyson Bowman (Coshocton) blanked the Grizzlies in his next three innings as he was in control through five innings on the hill.
The fifth was dominated by the Beavers as they added three runs. Blake Fox (Berne, Ind./South Adams) led off the inning with a double and scored on a base hit by Austin Prosser (Galion). Reid Maus (Hamilton/Badin) crossed the dish on a wild pitch and Jason Colliver (Beavercreek) would add an RBI on a groundout that scored Prosser and Bluffton led 4-1 through five.
Taylor Gambrell (Bowling Green) threw the final four innings of the contest for the Beavers, allowing just one hit and earning his first save of the season in the 4-1 win.
Offensively, the Beavers mustered just five hits but took advantage of their opportunities with four runs in the winning effort.
The Beavers took an early lead in game two as well, as Tanner Hamilton (Centerville) singled and eventually scored on a bases loaded walk drawn by Reid Maus which gave Bluffton a 1-0 lead.
The Grizzlies blew it wide open with 11 in the bottom half of the frame to put a virtual end to the contest early in Franklin, going up 11-1 through just two frames.
Trailing 13-1, the Beavers would chip away with three in the sixth, as Tanner Hamilton grabbed an RBI single. That was followed by an RBI double by Blake Fox and a sacrifice fly from Reid Maus which cut it to 13-4 after six.
The Grizzlies tacked on one more run in the eighth inning to power their way to a 14-4 victory.
The offense finished with another five-hit outing in game two, led by Tanner Hamilton who finished 3-for-4 with a double, two singles, an RBI and a run scored. Reid Maus also added two RBI in the loss.
Brantley Curnutte (Hilliard/Davidson) gave up seven runs on seven hits in just 1.1 innings of work, while Jaylen Von Sossan (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) surrendered four in only one third of an inning. Raymond Richard (Taylor, Mich./John F. Kennedy) threw 3.1 frames and gave up two runs on three hits while striking out three and Paul Frey (Kirby/Riverdale) allowed just one run on four hits in three innings of action.
The rubber match of the three-game series between the Beavers and Grizzlies is set for Sunday, April 24, at 12 p.m. Bluffton returns home on Tuesday, April 26 for a 4:15 p.m. contest at Memorial Field. Come support your Beavers!
-BEAVERS-
