The Bluffton University softball team ran into a hot-hitting Alma College squad on Thursday, March 17, 2011. The Scots swept the Beavers as Bluffton dropped to 7-4 on the season. Alma upped its record to 11-2.

Alma jumped out to a 10-0 lead on the strength of back-to-back five-run innings to start the game. The Scots pounded out four hits in the first and five hits in the second for a 10-0 advantage after just two innings.

By Josh Bruner, sports information assistant

The Bluffton University baseball team picked up an 11-6 win in its home opener against Oberlin College on Thursday, March 17, 2011. With the win, Bluffton improved to 6-5 overall. The Yeomen (0-1) were playing their first game of the season.

Freshman Kayla Owens (Cincinnati/McAuley) was dominating on the mound for the Beavers in her first week of collegiate softball and has been named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week.

The freshman pitcher tossed Bluffton's first no-hitter in two seasons, posting a five-inning 8-0 win over Beloit. She finished the week with a 1.24 earned run average and posted a 2-1 record in six appearances.

Owens threw 22.2 innings during the week with 15 strikeouts and held opponents to a .198 batting average.

Adults, along with college and high school students, who are interested in exploring the medium of ceramics may do so in "Summer Mud," a class being offered in June at Bluffton University.

Gregg Luginbuhl, professor and chair of art at Bluffton, will teach the class, which will meet from 6:30-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday for three weeks beginning Monday, June 6. The class will meet in the Sauder Visual Arts Center's ceramics studio, where students will also be able to work during daytime and weekend hours.

Bluffton University's Honors Program will introduce the Bluffton Centre for Academic Excellence, the program's new campus home in Ropp Hall, at an open house from 9:30 a.m. to noon Friday, March 18.

Consisting of two rooms on the first floor of Ropp, the centre is the first space dedicated to the Honors Program at Bluffton. Having a space where honors students can meet enables Bluffton to more fully comply with guidelines for honors programs set by the National Collegiate Honors Council, said Dr. Trevor Bechtel, director of Bluffton's Honors Program.

Bluffton University's Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR), an educational program for retired individuals, is offering eight courses from March 28-May 4 and one on Wednesdays from May 11-June 1.

The spring term costs $80, which enables participants to take as many of the courses as they wish and to join in other ILR activities. Individuals may take an individual course for $30.

Registration and course fees, if applicable, are due at the time of registration. Most classes will meet in the ILR classroom, located in Shultz Hall of Riley Court on campus.

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