April 5, 2018
By: Colton Steiner, sports information assistant

Game 1 Stats  I  Game 2 Stats

DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball squad hit the road to face off against the other purple school, the Defiance College Yellow Jackets, on a sunny Thursday, April 5, for a doubleheader. The Beavers took game one behind a pair of dominating pitching performances, 7-0. DC scored early and often in the nightcap for an 11-2 victory and series split.

Bluffton took advantage of a Defiance error which allowed LENNY WINIARSKI (Cincinnati/LaSalle) to score for a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. They extended their lead to 2-0 following a JACOB LATKOFSKY (Temperance, Mich./Ida) RBI single in the top of the third. A run-scoring two-bagger by Winiarski plated REID RUHL (Hamilton) before GARRETT O’REILLY (Galena/Orange) smacked a two-run double as the Beavers headed into the bottom of the frame with a commanding 5-0 cushion.

Neither team was able to score until the top of the seventh when COLIN GREGORY (Fremont/Clyde) connected on a double to left center as Bluffton pushed its advantage to 6-0. The visitors would add another run in the eighth inning after a CHASE LAWNICZAK (Toledo/Whitmer) single to center scored Winiarski. The Beavers shut down Defiance in the bottom of the ninth to secure the 7-0 victory.

Pounding out a total of 10 hits in the contest, Bluffton was led by Lenny Winiarski who went a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and three runs scored. Jacob Latkofsky and Garrett O’Reilly added two hits apiece for the victors.

Moving to 4-2 on the season was DANTE D’ANDREA (Westerville/North) who allowed one hit and no runs in his 5.0 innings of relief. Needing only 52 pitches, the junior recorded four strikeouts against no walks. COLBY CLIFTON (Ohio City/Crestview) also fanned four batters in his four innings of work.

Defiance turned the tables in game two, rolling out to an 11-0 lead after six innings. The visitors finally cracked the scoreboard in the eighth when Austin Goetzman (Mount Vernon) drew a bases loaded walk and Brock Wadja's (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) ground ball plated Jon Doering (Constantine, Mich./Constantine). Bluffton threatened with a couple base runners in the ninth, but the Jackets wrapped up an 11-2 victory for a series split.

Jack Bondy (Avon) allowed just one run on two hits in four innings of work, but he took the loss as his record fell to 2-2. The junior struck out two and walked three.

Bluffton is right back into conference action on Saturday, April 7, when the Beavers host Franklin at 1 p.m. for a doubleheader. Put on your winter's best and come out to support the Beavers!

-BEAVERS-