Pirate baseball edges Bearcats
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON – The Bluffton Pirate baseball team nipped visiting Northwest Conference foe Spencerville 4-3 Wednesday evening, May 14.
Bluffton scored two runs in the bottom of the first, but the Bearcats tied it 2-2 after two frames. The Pirates inched ahead with a run in the home third, yet the visitors tied it 3-3 in the fourth.
Bluffton pushed across the tiebreaking run in the bottom of the sixth to win it, 4-3.
The victory evened the Pirate overall season record at 11-11. Bluffton ended up 2-5 and seventh in the eight-team NWC standings. Spencerville fell to 9-9 and ended up 3-4 in the NWC after the defeat.
Lincolnview (6-0 NWC) has clinched the NWC title again, with Crestview second (5-2) and Columbus Grove third (4-3).
Keaton Howbert hurled four innings of one-hit baseball to earn the pitching win. He struck out one and walked none, and allowed no earned runs.
Robby Taylor also hurled 1.3 innings of shutout, one-hit ball.
Luke Jebsen doubled home two runs and walked once. Landen Worcester walked and scored one run.
Taylor singled, drew a walk and scored a run. Nathan Speicher singled in a run and scored once. Blayne Hill walked twice and scored a run.
Quinn Eachus singled home one run, and Jake Weaver swatted a double.
Evan Speicher added a single.
Bluffton out-hit Spencerville 6-4 and drew five walks.
The Pirates are slated to play at non-league foe Hardin Northern (14-4) Thursday. They host Leipsic (15-10) Friday.
123 456 7 R H E
Svl 110 100 0 3 4 1
Blu 201 001 x 4 6 4
WP-Howbert
2B-Weaver (B), Jebsen (B)
Stories Posted This Week
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
- Tornado Warning for Hancock County until 7:45 p.m. on June 18
- LINKS CORRECTED June 1-15, 2025 Bluffton Icon Highlights
- Allen County Common Pleas Court to hear case involving 2021 shooting at Bluffton officers
- 2025 Summer Read program thanks donors
- Music at the Gazebo series to be sponsored by GROB Systems
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Monday, June 16, 2025
- CORRECTED LINK Recreate a historic Bluffton photo for BOHS contest
- Lions Club hosts pain specialist on June 17
- 2025 swim lesson updates from Bluffton Community Pool
- Bluffton Community Pool anticipated open is June 21
- June crop line up
- Upcoming BPL events, June 16-21
- June 2025 Chamber breakfast take-aways