Quakers scratch out one-run victory

WILMINGTON (March 27, 2003) ­ The Wilmington College Quakers used an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the hosts a one-run lead, and held on the rest of the way to a 6-5 victory over former conference opponent Bluffton College.

Justin Evans (Franklin/Franklin) batted 3-for-5 in the game, including the game-winning single with one out in the eighth to lead the Quakers to victory.

The Green and White found themselves down by three after two and a half innings before a three-run third inning knotted the game at three. The Quakers grabbed their first lead of the game when Brent Bird (Columbus/Hilliard Darby) hit a solo home run, giving the hosts a one-run, 4-3 lead. The lead grew to two runs when Aaron Lawson (Hebron/Lakewood) hit his second home run of the season.

Bluffton came back and tied the game in the top of the eighth inning before Evans' RBI single gave the Green and White the lead again. In the top of the ninth, the Beavers made things interesting, putting men on first and second with one out before a game-ending third-to-first double play ended the contest.

Evans had a team-high three hits while Lawson and Chad Abbott (Hillsboro/Hillsboro) each had a pair of hits. All six runs for the Green and White came from a different base runner while Evans and Bird each knocked in a pair of runs in the contest.

Clayton Reynolds (Blanchester/Blanchester), who started the game, pitched six-and-a-third innings, allowing just three runs while striking out three in getting the no-decision. Reliever Joe Rosales (Urbana/Urbana) picked up his first win of the year with one-and-two-thirds innings pitched, allowing just one earned run and striking out a pair before Burt Cox (Fairborn/Fairborn) came in to record his first save of the season.

Bluffton was led by Jason Moore who was 2-for-4 from the plate while Kyle Alberson hit his ninth home run of the season, knocking in two in the process. Wes Hall picked up the loss for the visitors, dropping his record to 1-2 on the year.

The win brings the Quakers' record to 9-2-1 on the season while Bluffton falls to 4-8 on the year.

The next game for the Green and White is on Friday, March 28 when the team faces off against conference foe Heidelberg College in a double-header starting at 1:00 p.m.