April 17, 2017
ADA, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team limited local rival Ohio Northern to just seven runs in two games, but the Polar Bears parlayed them into a non-conference sweep at Wander Field on Monday, April 17. Bluffton fell to 11-16 with its eighth straight loss, while ONU improved to 15-14 following the victories.
An Austin Prosser (Galion) RBI groundout in the third plated Dennis Szalai (LaGrange/Keystone) for a 1-0 lead over the Polar Bears. Ohio Northern took advantage of a Bluffton error in the home half, scoring three unearned runs for a 3-1 lead and ending the scoring as the home team took game one.
Senior Corey Johnson (Waverly) was superb, tossing a complete game seven hitter. He allowed three runs, none earned, in six innings of work. Johnson fanned four and allowed just one free pass.
Freshman Luke Kail (Waynesfield/Sandy Valley) put Bluffton up 2-0 with his first collegiate home run, a shot to left field in the third inning. An RBI fielder's choice for Tanner Hodges (Taylor, Mich./John F. Kennedy) made it 3-2 visitors midway through the fifth, but ONU put together three straight one-out hits in the bottom of the sixth for two runs and what turned out to be the final 4-3 margin.
Ryan Golden (Findlay) went 3-of-4 with a run scored. Senior Blake Merrill (Toledo/Whitmer) finished with two hits and Kail drove in two runs.
Senior A.J. Phillimore (Old Fort) turned in a solid start for the Beavers, allowing just two runs on four hits in four innings of work. He struck out one and walked two but did not factor in the decision. Freshman Cam Clark (Cairo/Bath) dropped his first collegiate decision despite limiting ONU to two runs on three hits in three innings of relief.
The Beavers will be back at it on Tuesday, April 18, when they make the short trip to rival Defiance College for a Heartland Conference showdown. The first pitch is slated for 4:15 p.m.
-BEAVERS-
