April 30, 2016
By: Ryan Schadewald, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team dropped a pair of contests on Saturday, April 30, as they fell, 4-3 (12) and 14-2, at the hands of the Hanover College Panthers. The early matchup was continued from Friday as the game was stopped after nine innings due to impending darkness. The Panthers improved to 13-21 and 10-12 in the HCAC, while Bluffton fell to 12-24 overall and 7-16 in conference action.
The early contest was bumped up to a 10 a.m. first pitch due to a dreary forecast and the Beavers threw Brantley Curnutte (Hilliard/Davidson) in relief. The teams got through inning 11 still tied at 3-3, before the visitors took a 4-3 lead on a run-scoring single from Jack Shine. Hanover closer Kellen Otto notched his sixth save of the season to give Hanover the game two win.
After a brief Senior Day ceremony, the teams went out for the series finale and the Panther bats came out on fire, scoring four in the opening frame and seven in the first three.
The Beavers finally got on the board in the fifth, as senior Jason Colliver (Beavercreek) led off with a two-bagger. Reid Maus (Hamilton/Badin)would line a double to score Colliver, cutting the deficit to 8-1. Two batters later, Luke Hickey (Toledo/Whitmer) laced a base hit as well to score Maus and make it 8-2.
However, Hanover added another run in the sixth with five more in the seventh to clinch the 14-2 run-rule victory and the series sweep.
Bluffton would muster a total of six hits, with senior Landen Brown (Lebanon) being the only Beaver to finish with multiple safeties, going 2-for-3 with two base knocks.
The Beavers will return to action on Tuesday, May 3 as they hit the road to Defiance College, attempting to cap a season sweep of the Yellow Jackets. First pitch is set for 4:15 p.m.
-BEAVERS-
