Blackburn Hits Away Principia in Home Opener

By: Colin Gowin - Blackburn College Sports Information

The Beavers are finally able to play on their home field and come ready to play ball in their doubleheader against the Panthers of Principia College on April 1, 2013.

                In the first game, it was all Blackburn. Kaycee Jones got the start on the mound and completed a shutout. Jones gave up only one hit, walked six batters, and recorded ten strikeouts.

                On the offensive side of the game, the Beavers put up several runs in the first couple innings. In the bottom of the first, Aaron Moody put the first run on the board as he reached home on Donny Fuhrhop’s RBI. In the bottom of the second, Jon Lowry scored on a sacrifice bunt by Vinnie Birk and Dan Witkus also scored as the result of a wild pitch.

                In the fourth inning, the Beavers scored in bunches. A total of seven runs came across the plate. It started with Jon Lowry scoring from third base on a wild pitch. Due to several walks by the Principia pitching, the bases were loaded. Dan Witkus, Vinnie Birk, and Aaron Moody were all walked home, giving Franklin Bush, Donny Fuhrhop, and Matt Makriakow RBIs. To end the bottom half of the inning, Franklin Bush scored on Cody Unser’s RBI, Donny Fuhrhop scored on Jon Lowry’s single, and Matt Makriakow scored on a wild pitch.

                Throughout the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings there were zero runs scored. This concluded the game with Blackburn on top 10-0.

                In the second game, Blackburn finished the game scheduled for nine innings in seven. Dan Witkus started on the hill for the Beavers and pitched six innings. Witkus gave up a total of four hits and recorded five strikeouts. Marcus Kelly pitched the seventh inning and recorded the save. Kelly gave up one hit, walked one batter, and recorded two strikeouts. Principia scored two runs in the seventh inning.

                Offensively, the Beavers stared the game with two runs in the first inning. Franklin Bush scored on an RBI from Matt Makriakow and Donny Fuhrhop scored on Jon Lowry’s single.

                In the third inning, Blackburn’s offense was firing on all cylinders and this continued throughout the remainder of the game. Donny Fuhrhop scored as the result of a fielding error by the second baseman, Matt Makriakow scored on Josh Voigtlander’s single, Voigtlander then scored due to a bases-loaded-walk, and Jose Osorio scored on a wild pitch.

                The Beavers continued to have hot bats in the fourth, as eight runs scored.  Donny Fuhrhop scored on a single by Matt Makriakow, Makriakow then scored on a wild pitch, Jon Lowry scored on Jose Osorio’s single, Josh Voigtlander scored on a wild pitch, Osorio came home on Vinnie Birk’s RBI, Aaron Moody crossed the plate on Fuhrhop’s RBI single, and Furhop and Franklin Bush both scored on an error by the right fielder.

                Three more runs were added in the bottom halves of the fifth and sixth. Josh Voigtlander reached home on Cody Meyer’s RBI in the fifth. In the sixth Ben Beckwith scored on Luis Velez’s RBI and Jared Jones scored due to an error by the pitcher.

                The Beavers ended the game after the top of the seventh inning with a 17-2 win.

It was a big day for the Beavers as they got two much needed conference victories. This brings Blackburn’s overall record to 5-11 and conference record to 3-4. The Beavers will travel to Principia tomorrow to finish the three game series. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 P.M.