March 1, 2015
By: Colton Steiner, sports information assistant

Stats

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Bluffton University baseball team kicked off its season down in Fort Meyers, Fla., against the Newbury College Nighthawks. The Beavers took control and opened 2015 with an 8-6 victory on Sunday, March 1.

Bluffton got on the board first when LUKE HICKEY (Toledo, Whitmer), who started the inning with a double, scored following a TYLER SPALDING (Willis, Mich./Lincoln) single. The Beavers added two more runs in the fifth inning when sophomore CLAYTON SIDERS (Delaware/Worthington Christian) ripped an RBI double, scoring JEFF ROTH (Bellevue). Siders came around to score thanks to a single by Spalding.

Each team added a run in the sixth inning, making the score 4-1 in Bluffton’s favor. The seventh inning was capped off with runs from Hickey, Spalding, and a sacrifice fly to right by MICHAEL ALEXANDER (Monroe) which plated CODY LEHMAN (Hamilton). Newbury responded with four runs in the top of the eighth as the visitors pulled within two scores, 7-5.

Bluffton tacked on a crucial insurance run in the bottom of the eighth after a balk by TIM BROWN that scored Jeff Roth. The Nighthawks answered with a run in the top of the ninth, but the Beavers held on for the 8-6 victory.

Bluffton was led by Tyler Spalding who went 4-for-5 on the day and collected two RBI. Mike Castro (Reynoldsburg) chipped in with two hits for the Beavers and Luke Hickey scored twice with a double.

On the mound for the Beavers was NATE SIMONDS (Ypsilanti, Mich./Lincoln) who notched his first win of the season, went seven innings and allowed six hits  and two walks. Sophomore TAYLOR GAMBRELL (Bowling Green) picked up the save, going 1.2 innings while surrendering two hits and two walks.

The Beavers will look to pick up win number two when they face John Carroll in the first game of a doubleheader at 12 p.m on Monday, March 2, in Port Charlotte.

-BEAVERS-