By Cort Reynolds
VAN BUREN - The visiting Bluffton baseball team was no-hit in a five-inning 21-0 loss at Van Buren Saturday.
The Pirates fell to 0-6 with the non-league defeat, while VB improved to 3-2 with the shutout victory.
Black Knight pitcher Weston Heitkamp struck out eight and walked none while allowing no hits over five innings. He hit one batter.
The Knights pushed across nine runs in the first inning to seize control. VB then plated seven more scores in the second frame to build an insurmountable 16-0 lead.
The hosts scored in all four of their times at bat before the game was stopped by the 10-run rule following the top of the fifth frame.
VB knocked out 17 base hits in the lopsided win. Max Greenwalt doubled, hit two singles, drove in two runs and scored twice to pace the victors.
Clarence Durliat compiled a double, single, scored four times and drove in one run. Aaron Bressler contributed two hits, two runs and an RBI.
Seventeen of the Knight runs were unearned as the Pirates committed five costly errors. Bluffton did have two runners reach base on an error and a hit batsman, freshman shortstop Braeden Jordan.
The Pirates left two men on base while VB stranded nine. The Knights also stole seven bases.
123 456 7 R H E
Blu 000 00x x 0 0 5
VB 974 1xx x 21 17 1
WP-Heitkamp LP-Prater
2B-Greenwalt (VB), Durliat (VB)
The Pirates open Northwest Conference play at Delphos Jefferson (2-3) Thursday, April 8. They then host non-league foe Liberty-Benton (1-1) Saturday, April 10.
