KOKOMO, Ind.--The 2023 baseball season came to an end with an 8-5 loss to Anderson University on Friday, May 12, 2023. Bluffton finished up with a mark of 22-18, which tied the school record for wins, and 14-8 in the Heartland Conference. Anderson will continue on in the HCAC Tournament with an 8 p.m. meeting against the winner of Rose-Hulman and Manchester.

Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) put the Beavers up 1-0 in the top of the first when his sacrifice fly plated Nick Diana (Batavia/West Clermont). Two innings later, Bluffton was flying high as a bases-clearing triple by Kenny Schneider (Sunbury/Big Walnut) made it 4-1 in favor of the good guys.

The Beavers still led by three following a Diana base hit in the sixth as he drove home Ezra Deitering (Ottawa/Miller City) who had smacked a two-out triple to the wall in right center.

A pair of Anderson hits and a Bluffton balk in the seventh made the score 5-4 Beavers with two innings to play. Unfortunately, the Ravens found their bats in the eighth, putting up a four spot thanks to four hits and a questionable call at the plate. Jack Towell (Batavia/Clermont) reached on a single to third in the top of the ninth, but Anderson closed it out and moved on with the 8-5 victory.

Sophomore Wyatt Groves (Marengo/Highland) capped off the season with his fourth straight outstanding performance on the hill. He went seven innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Anderson touched up Nathan Young (Copley) with four runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning. He fell to 2-1 with his first loss of the season.

Towell rapped three hits and scored a run. Schneider drove in three and Diana went 2-of-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Congratulations to the 2023 Beavers on a school record-tying 22 victories and their third trip to the Heartland Conference Tournament in six years! Check out the website over the coming week for updates as well as for the All-Heartland Conference awards.