April 19, 2017
CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Bluffton bats were silent as Mount St. Joseph swept a pair of games in Cincinnati on a warm Wednesday, April 19, 2017. Bluffton fell to 17-12 overall and 3-8 in the Heartland Conference, while MSJ improved to 20-10 and 8-2 in the HCAC.
Jessia Madzia (Massillon/Tuslaw) was in control of game one from the start, limiting the Lions to three hits and no runs through the first six innings. The home team loaded the bases with an infield single, a catchers interference and a walk before MSJ starting pitcher Paige Kiesewetter ripped a two-out gap shot to left center for the 1-0 victory in the bottom of the seventh.
Kelsi Wilson (Pataskala/Licking Heights) and Makenzie Schmidt (Caledonia/River Valley) both smacked two hits for the Beavers in game one. Madzia fell to 3-3 despite allowing just one unearned run in 6.2 innings of work. She struck out three and walked five in the complete-game effort.
The Beavers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning in game two when Josie McElroy's (Mt. Orab/Western Brown) shot to the left side was too hot to handle as Kelsey Reeder (Galion/Northmor) scurried home from second base.
A solo homer in the home half of the inning made it 1-1 and that score stood until the bottom of the fourth when MSJ added three runs on three hits for a 4-1 spread.
Chelsea Zoltowski's (Sylvania/Southview) ground ball with the sacks full in the sixth plated Madzia, but the Lions responded with an unearned tally in the bottom of the frame, capping the 5-2 victory.
McElroy went 2-of-3 and Zoltowski drove in a run. Emily Scupholm (Cuyahoga Falls/Our Lady of the Elms) allowed five runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings of work. She stands 10-5 on the season.
Bluffton is off until Sunday, April 19, when the Beavers travel to Capital University for a non-league clash with the Crusaders. The first game is slated for 1 p.m.
-BEAVERS-
