Beavers show most wins in school history, takes over first place in HCAC
By Ben Risinger, SID
April 19, 2004
The Bluffton College softball team (23-5, 9-1 HCAC) dropped one game last week, but won a very important series with Franklin College to take over first place in Heartland Conference. On Wednesday the Beavers dropped the first game to Case Western Reserve 2-1 in extra innings, but picked up the nightcap with a 7-4 victory. Last Saturday Bluffton faced Franklin and won the doubleheader with two 8-0 scores. With the two victories, the Beavers have won more contests than any other team in Bluffton softball history. The former record for wins was 21 set in 1997.
The Beaver pitcher, sophomore Sarah Betts (Bryan/Bryan) was named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference player of the week in softball for her efforts. For the week, Betts went 3-1 on the mound, with 30 strikeouts and allowed only 10 hits with two earned runs. She leads Bluffton with a 0.84 ERA and a 22-4 record from the mound with nine shutout games.
For the season she has struck out 219 batters in 167 innings pitched, giving up only 85 hits, 28 walks and 38 runs. She leads the Heartland Conference in ERA (0.84), opposing batting average (.143), innings pitched (167), batters struck out (219), batters struck out looking (47), wins (22), appearances (26) and games started (26). Betts also ranks nationally in NCAA Division III in strikeouts per seven innings (9th), victories (2nd) and ERA (29th). The national rankings are from games as of April 12, 2004.
Junior Allison Lange (Archbold/Archbold) continues to command the Beaver’s bats for 2004. She leads the team in most hitting categories with a .519 batting average, runs (25), hits (40), doubles (11), one triple, five home runs, total bases (68), slugging percentage (.883) and RBI’s (22). Lange leads the HCAC in slugging percentage and on base percentage. She ranks second in the conference in batting average, runs scored, total hits, home runs and doubles. Lange ranks nationally in NCAA Division III in batting average (13th) and slugging percentage (20th). The national rankings are from games as of April 12, 2004. Mandy Snider (.329), Amber Fitzwater (.316) and Lane Leedy (.315) all post batting averages of .300 or better. Junior catcher Michelle Pleiman (Yorkshire/Minster) leads the Beavers with only four errors in 243 putouts for the season for a .985 fielding percentage.
As a team, the Beavers post a .283 batting average and .368 slugging percentage. Bluffton
shows 50 errors defensively for a .934 fielding percentage.
Bluffton will be back in action this Thursday when they travel to rival Defiance College. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 pm. The Beavers will then end the regular season on Saturday when they host HCAC opponent Anderson University (1 pm start).
