By Takayla Gadberry, www.blufftonbeavers.com

Playing in Ft. Meyers, FL, the Bluffton University baseball team opened day two of the Gene Cusic Classic with an 8-5 victory over Augustana but dropped a 16-13 decision to Plymouth State in game two. The Beavers moved to 1-3 on the season while Augustana fell to 6-3 and Plymouth State improved to 3-5.

The Beavers started off hot against the Vikings as a Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) triple scored Kenny Schneider (Sunbury/Big Walnut) and a Garrett O'Reilly (Galena/Orange) base hit plated Baumgartner. The Vikings crossed the dish in the first and fifth innings to tie it up at 2-2. Baumgartner touched home in the top of the sixth to give the Beavers a 3-2 lead. The Bluffton offense exploded in the top of the ninth when a Schneider single plated Cale Sherbourne (Johnstown/Big Walnut) and O'Reilly blasted a grand slam over the center field fence to secure the 8-5 Beaver victory.

Starting on the mound for Bluffton was O'Reilly, tallying two strikeouts in six innings of work. Picking up his first win was freshman Wyatt Groves (Marengo/Highland), sending three batters back to the dugout in three innings of relief pitching. Baumgartner was a threat at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a double and one RBI. O'Reilly picked up five runs for the victors, going 2-for-5 with his grand slam.

In game two against the Panthers of Plymouth State, Bluffton struck first when a failed pickoff attempt allowed Schneider to cross the dish. Eleven runs over the next six innings gave the Beavers a comfortable 12-3 lead over the visitor on the scoreboard. Bluffton's pitching staff saw some trouble when Plymouth State attacked in the eighth, scoring nine runs, to tie the game up 12-12. Bluffton issued five walks, hit two batters, and committed three errors while scoring those nine runs courtesy of just three hits. Three more runs for the Panthers in the ninth would secure their comeback victory over the Beavers.

Baumgartner was the offensive igniter once again, going 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Grant Hovest (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) and Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont) both went 2-for-5 with four and two RBI, respectively.

Five pitchers saw action on the mound in game two. Jacob Boelkens (Millbury/Lake) started, throwing 5.1 innings with six strikeouts. Seth Altman (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson), Jake Shaver (New London), Seth Evans (Ada/OSU-Lima) and Spencer Garrison (West Salem/Northwestern) all took a turn on the hill, knocking down one strikeout apiece. Garrison took the loss and dropped to 0-1 on the season.

The Beavers will be back in action on Tuesday, March 8, as they head to Port Charlotte, Fla., for a 10 a.m. game against Lebanon Valley. A split-squad match with the Flying Dutchmen will follow the varsity game at 1 p.m.