March 8, 2018
FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Bluffton University baseball team hit the field to face the Hiram College Terriers in their only contest of the day on Thursday, March 8. After a 2-0 sweep of Rivier on Wednesday, Bluffton would pick up a 9-5 victory over Hiram to move to 7-2 on the year, equaling the 2013 squad for the best start in school history!.
The Beavers would get on the board first after JACOB LATKOFSKY (Temperance, Mich./Ida) singled home fellow freshman REID RUHL (Hamilton). Bluffton made it 2-0 after RYAN GOLDEN (Findlay) crossed the dish on a groundout in the bottom of the first.
In the bottom of the second, the Beavers added a pair of runs thanks to a COLIN GREGORY (Fremont/Clyde) single. Ryan Golden ripped an RBI triple to right center, putting Bluffton up 5-0. Hiram broke the through in the top of the third with an RBI single but the Beavers were still in front with a 5-1 advantage.
The Terriers added three runs in the top of the fifth to cut Bluffton’s lead to 5-4. They tied the game up with an RBI single to center which made it 5-5 in the top of the sixth inning. The Beavers would answer with a run in the bottom half when LENNY WINIARSKI (Cincinnati/LaSalle) poked a single to right that picked up Latkofsky from third.
Ryan Golden torched the Terriers with his second extra base hit of the day, a three-run double, putting Bluffton up 9-5 as they headed to the top of the eighth inning. The Beavers shut down Hiram in the final two innings as they marched to a 9-5 victory over their rivals from Ohio.
Leading the bats was Ryan Golden who was 2-of-4 and drove in a team-high four runs. Jacob Latkofsky add two hits of his own and Reid Ruhl crossed the dish three times. Colin Gregory and Lenny Winiarksi each plated a pair of runs.
Earning the win for Bluffton was sophomore COLBY CLIFTON (Ohio City/Crestview) who secured his first victory on the season, allowing no earned tallies on four hits while fanning three batters in his 4.1 innings of one-run relief. BRANTLEY CURNUTTE (Hilliard/Davidson) did solid work on short rest, allowing only four runs, two earned, on four hits while striking out six Terriers and walking just one in 4.2 innings.
Bluffton is off on Friday but will close out its trip to the Sunshine State on Saturday, March 10, when the Beavers face off against Edgewood. You can keep up to date with all things Bluffton on Twitter @Bluffton_sports and www.bluffton.edu/athletics.
-BEAVERS-
