By Cort Reynolds

The visiting Bluffton High School baseball team was blanked by league-leader Lincolnview 10-0 in a Northwest Conference baseball outing Monday evening, April 24.

The Pirates fell to 6-7 overall and 3-2 in the NWC with the six-inning defeat. The defending league champion Lancers improved to 11-2 overall and 5-0 in the NWC after the run-rule shortened victory.

Bluffton trailed 2-0 after the first inning. The Lancers plated single runs in the third and fourth frames to double their margin. 

Lincolnview then invoked the 10-run rule with a six-run, sixth inning outburst. The Lancers out-hit the Pirates, 12-3.

Tyler Cupples pitched the first five innings for Bluffton. He struck out two and walked one, while giving up four earned runs.

Kerry Wright, Landen Worcester and Gavin Bogart singled to provide the Pirate hits. Worcester also stole a base.

Third baseman Austin Bockrath hit a double, triple and two singles to lead the Lancer offense. He also scored three runs, stole two bases and drove in a run. 

Pitcher Luke Bollenbacher slugged an RBI double, and first baseman Jack Dunlap added two hits with two RBI.

Bollenbacher hurled six innings of shutout baseball to earn the win. He allowed just three hits and one walk, while striking out two.

Bluffton hosts non-league foe Cory-Rawson Tuesday. The Pirates then entertain NWC rival Spencerville (1-14, 1-4 NWC) Thursday.

         1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E

BLF  0 0 0 0 0 0 0   3 0

LNC 2 0 1 1 0 6 10 12 0

WP-Bollenbacher LP-Cupples

2B-Bockrath (L), Bollenbacher (L)

3B-Bockrath (L)