By Ezra Deitering, Bluffton University sports information assistant

It was the Manchester University Spartans making the trip to Memorial Field on Tuesday, April 5, to face off in a Heartland Collegiate Conference doubleheader. Bluffton held off the visitors 4-3 in game one and then the Beavers followed that up with a convincing 11-2 victory in the nightcap. 

It was the Beavers jumping out to an early 1-0 lead as Grant Hovest (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) grounded out to first, scoring Jeff Strayer (Columbus/Thomas Worthington). A Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont) flyout to center in the bottom of the third picked up Kenny Schneider (Sunbury/Big Walnut), extending the lead to 2-0.

However, Manchester answered in the top of the fourth with two runs of their own as a sac fly by Filson and a double by Mueller knotted the game at two runs apiece. 

The Beavers quickly responded with two more in the bottom of the fourth frame as Schneider singled, scoring Hovest. Brandon Wilson (Casstown/Miami East) then touched the plate on a wild pitch, giving Bluffton a 4-2 lead. Manchester managed to score one more run in the top of the 6th to make the score 4-3 but solid pitching and defense by Bluffton kept Manchester off the scoreboard down the stretch to secure the win.

Jacob Boelkens (Millbury/Lake) improved to 3-0 on the year as he tossed 5.2 innings, giving up three runs and striking out three. Eddie Budinski (Louisville) worked 2.1 scoreless frames to go along with two strikeouts. Seth Evans (Ada/OSU-Lima) then came in to close it down, earning his 4th save on the year.

Schneider, Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) and Garrett O'Reilly (Galena/Orange) all smacked three hits in the opener. Strayer added a pair of hits and Towell scored twice.

Game two saw Manchester get off to a hot start as they plated two in the first inning when Pittsford doubled, scoring Hanes and Stevens. However, from there on out it was all Bluffton as the home team proceeded to score 11 unanswered runs. 

Wilson's 2-run homer in the bottom of fourth inning knotted the game at 2-2. 

The Beavers then plated two in the fifth on a Luke Hanson (Somerset/Sheridan) single to right and a Hovest base knock to center.

The bottom of the seventh saw the good guys add five more runs to their lead as both Hanson and O'Reilly came in clutch with RBI doubles. Hanson then crossed the dish on a wild pitch. Baumgartner singled, scoring Hovest, and Towell flew out to center field, plating Adam Yoh (Milford). 

Bluffton tacked one more on in the bottom of the eighth when O'Reilly scored on a Spartan error.

Picking up the win while going the distance was freshman Andrew Collinsworth (Westerville/Westerville South), his first on the season. He pitched nine masterful innings, allowing only two runs on five hits while striking out five.

Wilson and Hanson drove in two runs apiece, while O'Reilly and Hovest both scored three times.

The Beavers are back in action on Wednesday, April 6, when they host Ohio Northern University.