April 7, 2017
CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team backed up its stout pitching tandem with runs in five innings as the visitors opened their series at Mount St. Joseph with an 8-3 victory. The Beavers improved to 11-8 overall and 4-5 in the Heartland Conference, while MSJ dipped to 10-12 and 4-5 in the HCAC.
A big second inning set the tone as four Bluffton singles and a walk added up to a 3-0 lead for the Beavers. MSJ countered with two unearned scores in the fourth before Bluffton put tally marks on the scoreboard in four of the final five frames.
Blake Fox (Berne, Ind./South Adams) and Colin Gregory (Fremont/Clyde) drove in runs for the victors in the fifth for a 5-2 lead before a Chase Lawniczak (Toledo/Whitmer) RBI in the 6th and an Adam Duncan (Northwood/Lake) ground ball in the 9th made the final score 8-3 in the HCAC series lidlifter.
Reid Maus (Hamilton/Badin) went 3-of-4 and Lawniczak drove in two runs. Fox, Gregory and Lawniczak all finished with two safeties for the Beavers.
Dyson Bowman (Coshocton) moved to 3-1 following 6.1 superb innings on the hill. He allowed two runs, none earned, on seven hits with seven strikeouts and four walks. Fellow senior Taylor Gambrell (Bowling Green) got the call in the seventh and he induced an inning-ending double play. The late-game specialist struck out three and allowed one run over the final 2.2 innings to wrap up the victory.
Bluffton and the Lions will be back at it when the series resumes on Saturday, April 8. The first pitch is slated for 12 p.m. at the UC Health Stadium.
-BEAVERS-
