Beavers clinch 2004 Heartland Conference title
By Ben Risinger, SID
April 22, 2004
The Bluffton College softball team (24-6, 10-2 HCAC) lost the first game of the doubleheader to Defiance College 3-2, but came roaring back to take the Yellow Jackets 9-1 in five innings. With the lone win the Beavers clinch the HCAC regular season softball title. The last time the team won the softball title was in 1999.
The Beavers went the full seven innings in the first game as they led 2-0 until the fourth inning when Defiance picked up two to tie the game. The Jackets scored one more in the bottom of the sixth to pick up the win.
Junior Mandy Snider (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) went 2-for-4 in the game with a double. Juniors Allison Lange (Archbold/Archbold) and Michelle Pleiman (Yorkshire/Minster) both batted 2-for-3 in the opener.
After the first game defeat, Bluffton easily took over the field and won 9-1 in five. Snider led the Beaver bats again as she went 2-for-3 with another double. Lange posted a double, triple and three RBI’s in game two.
Sophomore pitcher Sarah Betts (Bryan/Bryan) found her record rise and fall to 23-5 for the season. She posted eight strikeouts from the mound.
Bluffton will be back in action this Saturday for their final home contest of the year against HCAC opponent Anderson University. The doubleheader is scheduled for 1 pm.
