TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology relied on a seventh inning rally to earn a 11-3 victory over Bluffton University in the opener of a three-game Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference series on Friday night.

Senior Michael Matsui (Joliet, Ill./ Plainfield South) provided a strong pitching performance to move to 5-1 on the season.  Matsui scattered seven hits and allowed just two earned runs in eight strong innings of work.

Rose-Hulman snapped a 2-2 tie with a seven-run seventh inning to secure its third victory of the conference season.

Junior Chandler Kent (Antioch, Ill.) opened the flood gates with a two-run single to give the Engineers a 4-2 lead.  Following a wild pitch, sophomore Kirk Thompson (Harrisburg, Ill.) slapped a two-run single to make the score 7-2.

Sophomore Troy Eveslage (Ramsey/North Harrison). who pinch ran earlier in the inning, capped the spurt with a two-run double to give the Engineers a 9-2 advantage.

Offensively, freshman Kreigh Williams (Ossian/Norwell) joined Kent with two hits each.  Williams scored two runs, while Kent had two RBIs.  Thompson had three runs batted in and scored once, and sophomore Keenan Long (Park Ridge, Ill./Northwestern University) scored twice.

Rose-Hulman improved to 16-7 on the season and 3-2 in HCAC play, while Bluffton dropped to 8-12 and 2-6 in conference games.  The two teams will conclude their three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon.