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Box Score 2 BLUFFTON, Ohio – The 14th ranked Adrian College softball team kept their perfect season going after a nail-bitter second game of their doubleheader as they defeated Bluffton College 1-0 in nine innings. The Bulldogs won 5-0 in the first game to improve their record to 20-0 on the year.
In the first game of the day the Bulldogs got on the board first as sophomore Katrina Wotten (Blackstock, Ont./Cartwright) led off the third inning with a single. After being sacrifice to second by junior Maggie Hein (Adrian, Mich./Lenawee Christian) and then going to third on a passed ball, Wotten scored as the Beavers shortstop misplayed a groundball by senior Katie Adams (Flat Rock, Mich./Flat Rock).
In the fifth inning, freshman Brittany Bertrand (Grand Blanc, Mich./Goodrich) led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a groundout by Hein. Adams again stepped up and delivered for Adrian as she singled to left field to score Bertrand.
Wotten again led off the inning with a single center, this time in the seventh. Adams promptly followed with a single to center also. Freshman Katie Dewyre (Pemberville, Ohio/Eastwood) then stepped up and smashed a double to left-center to score Wotten. Junior Sarah Hall (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon) grounded out to the second baseman allowing Adams to score from third and advanced Dewyre to third. Dewyre would later score on a wild pitch to finish out the Adrian scoring.
Senior catcher Kristin Toney (Cassopolis, Mich./Edwardsburg) ended the game when she threw out Bluffton pinch-runner Tiffany Buckmaster trying to steal third base.
Dewyre was a stellar 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI while Adams was 2-for-4 with two RBI's and a run scored in game one.
Junior Kelly Eberhardt (Wellington, Ohio/Black River) pitched a solid first game, throwing the complete game shutout while striking out 10 Bluffton batters and allowing only three hits on four walks.
In the rubber game, both teams were unable to score in the first seven innings as the game went into extra frames.
The best opportunity for the Bulldogs to end it in regulation was the fifth inning. After a leadoff double by junior Laura Heinz (Manchester, Mich./Clinton) and a single by Bertrand, the Bulldogs had runners on second and third with only one out. The Beavers ended Adrian's rally as the next two batters popped out and struck out to end the inning.
With the international tie-breaker in place, the Bulldogs started the eighth inning with Bertrand on second base. After Wotten reached on a fielder's choice which advanced Bertrand the second, Hein loaded the bases after a muffed throw by the Beavers first baseman. Adams stepped up and hit a fly ball to the outfield to try and score Bertrand from third, but was thrown out on a play at the plate by the Bluffton centerfielder.
Eberhardt stopped the Beavers from scoring in the eighth as she struck two of the Bluffton batters to hold the Beavers runner at second.
Dewyre was placed on second in the ninth inning as she advanced to third on a bunt single by Hall. Dewyre would score on a Bluffton error by the shortstop on a ball hit by Toney. Hall also tried to score on the play but was thrown out at the plate.
In the bottom of the inning after the tie-breaker runner was advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt, Eberhardt struck out the next batter and got the final batter to fly out to Wotten to end the game.
Eberhardt pitched another complete game shutout in game two as she struck out nine Beavers while allowing only two hits and two walks.
Wotten led the Bulldogs going 3-for-5 at the plate over the two games while scoring two runs. Heinz and Hall were both 2-for-4 in the second game.
The Sweep by the Bulldogs extends their current winning streak against Bluffton to six games dating back to the 2009 season as Adrian is now 15-8 all-time against the Beavers.
Adrian will look to remain perfect as they host a doubleheader with non-conference opponent Defiance College on April 2 at 1:00 pm.
