The Bluffton College softball squad fashioned a 5-3 record last week at the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Florida. In search of their third-straight 20-win season, the Beavers now focus on the northern portion of their 2001 schedule, which will begin on Thursday at Adrian. Bluffton will travel to Alma on Saturday and will host Ohio Northern next Wednesday, March 21 at 3:00 at Marbeck Field.
In the tournament’s opening game, Bluffton scored five runs in the first two innings and cruised to a 6-4 victory over Alfred. Elizabeth Snavely belted a two-run homerun in her first at-bat of the season to give BC a 2-0 lead after one inning. The homer was the fourth in her career at BC, which marks a new school record. Emily Kurtz handled the pitching duties for all seven innings, allowing just two earned runs and collecting three strikeouts. Later on Monday, Concordia erupted for seven runs in the final three innings to break open a 2-2 tie and claim a 9-2 win over the Beavers. Missy Alexander collected two singles and scored a run, while Stacy Herr pitched all seven innings and allowed just one earned run.
On Tuesday BC put together an amazing comeback in the seventh inning to notch an 11-10 victory over Marietta. Bluffton trailed 10-4 going into their final at-bat, but thanks to four hits and three MC errors, BC scored seven runs to claim the win. Herr notched the first win of her collegiate career, going all seven innings and giving up just one earned run. Heather Thornton drilled a two-run triple in that final inning for the game-winning RBI as she ended the day with two hits and three RBIs. Another last-at-bat win was in store next for Bluffton as senior Jessica Spain drilled a two-out game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift BC past John Carroll 5-4. Kurtz went the distance in picking up her second win of the season and Missy Neal also knocked two base hits.
Bluffton claimed a 5-4 win over St. Norbert on Thursday as Spain crushed a two-run homer and Kurtz pitched all seven innings. BC then topped Widener 4-2 as sophomore Paula Fry went 3-3 at the plate and was backed up Neal and Snavely who both produced two hits. Herr struck out six batters in picking her second win of the season.
Two close losses were dealt to Bluffton on Friday, as Montclair took a 5-4 win over BC in extra innings and Indiana Wesleyan shut out BC 3-0. Spain collected singles in both games to lead the BC offense.
