Hanover series

Senior Josh Underwood breaks season and career complete game record, Beavers take one from Hanover in HCAC action

 

By Ben Risinger, SID
April 30, 2004

 

BLUFFTON, OHIO – The Bluffton College baseball team (9-27, 4-14 HCAC) took a single game of the three-game series with Hanover College (19-14, 8-10 HCAC) with a 8-3 win on Friday afternoon. The Beavers lost the first game 26-14, won the second 8-3 and dropped the third contest 4-1.

 

Senior pitcher Josh Underwood (Bluffton/Cory-Rawson) broke the single season and career complete game record for the Beavers on Friday. The veteran starter pitched 10 complete contests in 2004 and 17 complete games for his career on the mound. Underwood (6-4 for season) picked up the win in the second game of the series and the loss in the third game as he pitched both contests of the Friday doubleheader.

 

In the 9-inning game on Thursday night, both teams found themselves in a slugfest as Hanover posted 29 hits with the Beavers pounding out 16. Senior Scott VanEman (Elida/Elida) went 3-for-4 with a double in the game. Sophomore Riordan McClain (Upper Sandusky/Upper Sandusky) posted two doubles with Senior Bob Heitkamp (Ft. Recovery/Ft. Recovery) knocking a three-run homer out of the park. Junior Brad Moore (Fredericktown/Fredericktown) received the loss on the mound.

 

Senior Jim Dwenger (Minster/Minster) started off Friday well as he went 3-for-4 at the plate with a three-run homer in the game one of the doubleheader. Underwood went 2-for-3 with a double with Bob Heitkamp going 1-for-2 with a double that drove in three runs. The Beavers would end up winning the game 8-3.

 

The third game went very quickly as Bluffton lost 4-1. Senior Kyle Alberson (Berne, Ind./South Adams) hit 2-for-3 with a double. Riordan McClain knocked down one more double for his third of the Hanover series. The Panthers downed Bluffton 4-1 in the finale for the loss.

 

The Beavers will be back in action on Monday when they travel to neighboring Ada, Ohio to play Ohio Northern University. The single 9-inning game will start at 4 pm.