March 30, 2018
By: Colton Steiner, sports information assistant
RICHMOND, Ind. - The Bluffton University baseball team hit the road to Richmond, Ind. to face Earlham College in the first conference series of the season on Good Friday, March 30. The Beavers would pick up a 7-4 victory in the first game after scoring six runs in the ninth to complete the comeback win. Earlham answered with an 11-2 win in game two as Bluffton moved to 12-7 overall and 1-1 in the Heartland Conference, while Earlham stands 15-5 (1-1 HCAC) on the season.
The Beavers got on the board first in the top of the third when a RYAN GOLDEN (Findlay) single picked up sophomore ADAM DUNCAN (Northwood/Lake). Earlham answered in the bottom of the fourth to even up the score at 1-1. Earlham added three more runs in the sixth to take a comfortable 4-1 advantage.
Bluffton struggled to string hits together until the top of the ninth when Duncan smacked a two-run single, making the score 4-3. Bluffton continue its scoring spurt when a two-RBI base knock by JACOB LATKOFSKY (Temperance, Mich./Ida) put the visitors up 5-4. A PARKER REYNOLDS (Avon) single scored Ryan Golden, extending Bluffton’s lead to 6-4. An Earlham error made it a 7-4 game heading to the bottom of the ninth. Bluffton would make quick work of the home team as DANTE D’ANDREA (Westerville/North) struck out all three batters to cap off the 7-4 victory.
Bluffton was led by Duncan who went 3-of-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Jacob Latkofsky finished 2-for-4 while knocking in a pair of runs. Ryan Golden added two hits, an RBI and a run while freshmen LENNY WINIARSKI (Cincinnati/LaSalle) and REID RUHL (Hamilton) each went 2-for-5 with a run.
Picking up the dub for the Beaver squad was Dante D’Andrea who improved to 3-2 on the year. Going 3.0 innings, the junior did not allow a hit while fanning four of the nine batters that he faced.
The Quakers would strike first in game two, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. A run in the top of the third thanks to a Reid Ruhl RBI cut the gap to 2-1. The home team blew it wide open, 10-1, after scoring eight consecutive runs between the fifth and seventh innings. The Beavers finally ended their scoring drought in the top of the eighth after a sacrifice fly by GARRETT O’REILLY (Galena/Orange) scored JON DOERNING (Constantine, Mich./Constantine) but back-to-back called third strikes ended the threat with Bluffton trailing by an 11-2 margin. The deficit was too much to make up as Bluffton dropped the series finale.
Bluffton managed only five hits in game two as starter Colby Clifton (Ohio City/Crestview) took the loss. He worked just 1.2 innings, allowing two runs on one hit with four walks and a strikeout.
The Beavers return to action with their second of three consecutive road doubleheaders when they travel to Kenyon College for a pair of 7-inning games on Monday, April 2. The first contest is slated for 2 p.m. in Gambier.
-BEAVERS-
