The Bluffton University softball team routed Rose-Hulman in game one by the score of 23-0 in five innings, but dropped game two (7-6) despite a late rally.
The Beavers are 7-25 overall and 2-8 in the Heartland Conference, while Rose-Hulman stands 6-18 overall and also 2-8 in HCAC play. Bluffton's 23 runs topped the previous school mark of 21 set against Cedar Crest in 2014!
Bluffton rushed out to a 5-0 lead in the second frame of game one, ignited by a Taylor Steinke(Findlay) two-run bomb to get the Beavers rolling. Later in the inning, Caylin Morstadt(Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) would match Steinke's two-run homer with one of her own.
The Beavers followed that with an inning to remember in the third as they added two touchdowns with the extra points for 14 more runs. Bluffton capitalized on four Rose errors in the inning. And to add more stats to the record book, Morstadt hit yet another dinger, this one a three-run blast.
In the fourth, Bluffton tacked on three more runs as Katie McCord (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) blasted her first collegiate long ball for the Beavers! The visitors capped off their dominant performance with another run in the fifth to make the score a final of 23-0.
McCord went the distance, improving to 3-8 on the season while giving up no runs on just four hits with two strikeouts for her first career shutout. Morstadt led the Beavers with five RBI and four runs scored. Rose-Hulman committed seven errors total in the lidlifter.
Bluffton and Rose played copycat in the first two innings of game two as both squads put up one in the first and two in the second, making it 3-3 heading to the third. The bottom of the fourth is when Rose did its damage as the home team plated four runs for a 7-3 advantage over Bluffton.
Morstadt led off the fifth with a solo shot for her third home run on the day in what has been an impressive season for her. She sits third on the all-time list with 10 homers this season. Bluffton would attempt to rally in the top of the seventh, cutting the deficit to 7-6 with one out and runners on second and third. However, the Beavers were unable to make anything happen with runners in scoring position as they dropped game two.
Molly Bollinger (Lima/Shawnee) started on the mound and threw the first two innings, giving up three runs on six hits. Alexis Montemarano (Brook Park/Berea-Midpark) took the loss, tosing 1.1 innings and giving up three runs while slipping to 2-4 on the year. Megan Hill (Arcadia) went a perfect 2-of-2 and Courtney Jasinski (Englewood/Northmont) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Bluffton will be back in action on Wednesday, April 24, when Mount St. Joseph comes to town For a Heartland Conference doubleheader that will start at 3:30 PM.
BASEBALL
The Bluffton University baseball team found its swing in game two as the Beavers notched a Heartland Conference series split with Hanover on a beautiful Monday, April 22, 2019. Bluffton moved to 17-16 overall and 6-6 in the HCAC, while Hanover improved to 11-15 and 3-7 in the conference.
Two late runs were not enough in the opener as Hanover scored all it needed with a fourth-inning grand slam. The Panthers tacked on a solo shot in the sixth for a 5-0 lead.
Junior Adam Duncan (Northwood/Lake) singled home Parker Reynolds (Avon) in the eighth before Jeff Strayer (Columbus/Thmoas Worthington) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, making it 5-2 when Zane Martin (Ottoville) crossed the dish. Hanover worked around a Reynolds base hit in the ninth to take the opener by a 5-2 count.
Freshman Carson Curnutte (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) took the tough-luck loss after allowing five runs on eight hits in six innings of work. Senior Jack Bondy was sensational in his three innings of relief, fanning three while allowing just one hit.
Reynolds went 3-of-4 with a run scored, while Jaxon Rogan (Marysville) chipped with two hits.
After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the third, a Colin Gregory (Fremont/Clyde) base hit plated Strayer and Reynolds doubled home Gregory to tie the game 2-2 heading to the fourth frame.
Jacob Latkofsky (Temperence, MI/Ida) made it 4-2 with his two-run single in the fifth before Bluffton exploded for four scores an inning later. Rogan did the damage with his three-run double to the wall in left center as Bluffton opened an 8-2 lead.
Rogan plated pinch runner Elisha Tressler (Bryan) with a sacrifice fly in the seventh and Reynolds drove in Strayer and Latkofsky as the Beavers earned the split with an 11-2 victory in game two.
Garrett O'Reilly (Galena/Orange) took top billing with a standout performance on the hill, going seven innings and allowing just two runs on three hits with six strikeouts. Seniors Dante D'Andrea(Westerville/North) and Jordan Stutzman (Millersburg/West Holmes) closed it out with a pair of shutout innings on Senior Day!
Reynolds finished his monster 7-of-9 afternoon with a 4-of-5 clinic in game two. He also drove in three runs. Rogan added four RBI, while Latkofsky chipped in with two. Duncan and Lenny Winiarski (Cincinnati/LaSalle) chipped in with two runs scored and Strayer crossed the dish three times with two hits.
Bluffton is back at Memorial Field in a few short hours when the Beavers host Manchester University in another Heartland Conference doubleheader. The first pitch is slated for 1 p.m on Tuesday, April 23.
