By Cort Reynolds
An upset-minded Bluffton High School varsity baseball team battled hard but lost at Riverdale 12-7 in a non-conference contest Tuesday evening, May 10.
The Pirates dropped to 3-18 with the defeat. Riverdale improved to 19-5 after the slugfest victory.
Bluffton led 2-1 after the first inning. The Pirates plated two more runs in the second frame to lead 4-1, but Riverdale captured the lead with four runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Bluffton tied it 5-5 with a run in the top of the fourth, yet the Falcons regained the lead with a run in the home half of the fourth.
Each team tallied a run in the fifth frame to repeat the pattern and keep Riverdale ahead 7-6.
The Pirates tied it one last time 7-7 by pushing across a run in the top of the sixth.
But Riverdale responded by plating five runs in the bottom of the sixth to break a tie for the final time and lead 12-7.
The hosts then held the Pirates scoreless in the top of the seventh to win.
Riverdale out-hit the Pirates, 13-9. Bluffton left nine runners on base compared to seven stranded by Riverdale.
Gavin Bogart slapped three hits, scored twice and drove in one run to pace the Pirate offense. He also stole two bases.
Kerry Wright singled two times and drove in one run.
Braeden Jordan, Tyler Cupples, Jaden Coonfare and Jacob Granger each added a single. Gavin Bogart walked twice, scored two runs and swiped a base.
Falcon Evan Reiter doubled, hit two singles, collected three RBI and scored twice. Spencer Dodds contributed a double, three runs and one RBI. Alec Dunbar knocked in four runs with two singles.
Winning pitcher Gauge King aided his own cause with two hits, two runs, two steals and one RBI. King struck out three, walked five and scattered nine hits over seven innings. He allowed three earned runs.
The Pirates committed four errors while the Falcons made two miscues. Riverdale stole six bases to four bags swiped by Bluffton.
123 456 7 R H E
Blu 220 111 0 7 9 2
Rdl 104 115 x 12 13 4
WP-King LP-B. Jordan
2B-Reiter (R), Dodds (R)
Bluffton (1-5 NWC) hosts fourth-ranked Northwest Conference leader Lincolnview (14-4, 7-0 NWC) Wednesday in a makeup game.
Bluffton visits tough NWCC leader Perry (18-2) Thursday in a non-league contest.
The Pirates then play at local league rival Allen East (4-11, 0-5 NWC) Saturday in another league makeup game to finish the NWC regular season.
