By Ethan Stearns
Sports information assistant, www.BlufftonBeavers.com

March 21 vs. Otterbein
WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Bluffton University baseball team lost a Tuesday matchup against a tough Otterbein unit on March 21 by a final score of 5-3. Bluffton fell to 5-6 on the season while Otterbein continued to roll at 13-3.

The game started in favor of the visiting Beavers as freshman Kaden Bowman (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) plated Austin Francis (Troy/Miami East) with a single to left center in the top of the second. The Cardinals quickly responded with two runs in the home half, making the score 2-1.

The top of the third frame saw another Beaver score as sophomore Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) zipped home on a wild pitch, knotting the game up at two apiece.

Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth and fifth frames before Bluffton took the lead once again in the sixth when Nick Diana (Batavia/West Clermont) lifted a sacrifice fly to left, sending pinch runner Eddie Hardaway (Englewood/Northmont) across the dish for a 3-2 lead.

Otterbein scored a run in each of the next three innings, while also shutting down the Beavers, in order to clinch the 5-3 victory at the end of a hard-fought duel.

Bowman and Diana each drove in runs for the visitors. Maurer went 3-of-5 at the plate.

Andrew Collinsworth (Westerville/Westerville South) went six innings and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out four and allowing no free passes. Jaden Jaques (New Palestine) took his first loss of the season (0-1) as he tossed one inning and allowed the go-ahead run. Freshman Alexander James (Vandalia/Butler) also saw an inning on the mound, allowing a run with no walks.

The Beavers get a few days to recover before kicking off their HCAC-opening three-game series with Anderson on Saturday, March 25. The first game of a doubleheader will start at approximately noon.

March 20 doubleheader vs. Albion
The Bluffton University baseball team won the first game of a doubleheader against Albion College (9-8) and led 10-3 in the second matchup before it was halted due to impending darkness on Monday, March 20. Game two will resume on Monday, April 10, when the Beavers travel to Albion College. Bluffton improved to 5-5 on the season while Albion fell to 1-11.

The first match of the back-to-back proved to be a very exciting comeback win for the Beavers. The home team fell behind early, allowing four unanswered runs through the first three innings.

Baumgartner, Towell, and Bowman were all on fire with the bat, driving in two runs apiece. Jake Shaver (New London) notched the victory (1-1), allowing only one run on two hits during his two innings on the mound. Darius Boeke (Sidney) cleaned things up and got the save, pitching a shutout ninth inning while striking out two batters.

The second game would be much less of a fight with the Beavers going up 10-3 before play was paused due to darkness. There was a lot of heavy hitting for the home squad as eight of the 10 runs were scored off of homers.

Mauer brought in Baumgartner after hitting a deep ball and then hopping on his high horse for a triple. Mauer would then cross the plate following a sacrifice fly from Francis. Bluffton will take a 10-3 lead into the resumed game.

Towell was scorching on Monday afternoon, going 2-of-4 in game two with two dingers and six RBI. Deitering plated two runs with his home run.  

Jacob Boelkens (Milbury/Lake) tossed five innings, allowing only two runs while striking out six batters. Junior Seth Altman (Hilliard/Davidson) pitched the sixth, allowing one run with one strikeout.