Finally!

Those Pirate spring  sports teams did not compete against Mother Nature. Instead they faced traditional spring opponents. After the weekend came to a close, BHS teams looked pretty good.

Here’s some game summarizes from Sam Brauen. Go to Bluffton Pirates.com (top right banner on the Icon homepage) for complete results.

Netters bomb Fostoria
Bluffton’s boys tennis team picked up four wins in five matches in a 4-1 romp over Fostoria Friday afternoon.  BHS improved to 2-2 on the season with the win. 
1st Singles : Justin Haggard won 6-0, 6-0
2nd Singles : Christian Groman won 6-0, 6-0
3rd Singles : Drew Wilson won by forfeit
1st Doubles : Jordan Siefer & Kory Strahm lost 7-5, 6-4
2nd Doubles : Grant Klinger & Eden Nygaard won 6-0, 6-0

Baseball posts solid win over LB
Leading 4-3, the Pirates put up four big runs in the bottom of the fifth inning en route to an 8-6 victory over visiting Liberty Benton Saturday afternoon.  Despite the cold and win, BHS was able to bat well in the win. 

Seniors Dakota Bricker, Brice Rayle and Braeden Edwards all knocked in runs in the big inning. Aaron Belcher picked up the win on the mound for Bluffton, now 2-2. 

Brady Romick collected three hits on the day.  Rayle hit a double with 2 RBI, Braeden Edwards knocked in two and Belcher doubled as well. 

Pirates split softball doubleheader with Eagles
Liberty Benton and Bluffton’s softball settled in for a lengthy, cold ans windy afternoon as the two squads split a double header Saturday afternoon.  LB won the first contest 7-4 and Bluffton stole the second game 6-5 on a walk off sac fly from Libby Schaadt.

Game 2: Bluffton 6 Liberty Benton 5
Bluffton got things rolling early in the second contest with 4 first inning runs.  Liberty Benton got three runs back in the third and scored two in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 5-5.  In the bottom of the seventh, Schaadt lofted a fly ball that was caught but scored the game winning run on a sacrifice fly.  With the win, Bluffton improves to 4-2 on the season.

Rumer was red hot in the second game going 3/4 with 2 stolen bases and 2 runs scored. Mara Minnig continued her hot hitting as well going 2/3 with a run scored. 

From the mound, Schaadt pitched a complete game giving up 7 hits and striking out 3.

Track season opens at Bath
It was still cold but at least it was dry for the Bluffton track and field squad to open their 2018 season at the Bath Ehresman Invitational Friday afternoon.  

The Pirate boys finished 7th and girls 10th in the frigid conditions. Not all events were held due to the weather.

Here are the individual placers for Bluffton:
Girls:
800 : Clara Mathews - 7th - 2:52
110 Hurdles : Abbey Gambrell - 6th - 18.65
300 Hurdles : Abbey Gambrell - 7th - 56.25
4x100 Relay : Allison Wise, Olivia Setzer, Bella Basinger, Alyssa Casemier - 8th - 58.85
4x200 Relay : Allison Wise, Bella Basinger, Olivia Setzer, Karis Wilson - 6th - 2:02
4x800 Relay : Sydney Hoff, Clara Mathews, Kayla Kindle, Olivia Burner - 5th - 11:18
Shot Put : Arielle O’Neal - 3rd - 30’4.25”
Discus : Arielle O’Neal - 6th - 88’1”

Boys:
100 : Kaleb Jefferson - 4th - 11.99
100 : Eli Lemley - 6th - 12.12
400 : Baylor Garmatter - 2nd - 55.08
800 : Asher Antrim - 6th - 2:17
1600 : Jackson Steinmetz - 6th - 5:02
110 Hurdles : Xavier Dunifon - 6th - 18.65
300 Hurdles : Xavier Dunifon - 4th - 47.15
4x200 Relay : Logan Rhodes, Nicholas Beach, Brandt Manns, Chad Veit - 8th - 1:57.5
4x800 Relay : Luke Young, Simon Derstine, Tanner Pinks, Jackson Steinmetz - 4th - 9:18
Shot Put : Deandre Nassar - 8th - 38’3”