By: Takayla Gadberry, sports information alumna
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Bluffton University baseball team opened its season with matchups against Baldwin Wallace and Rockford at the Gene Classic on Sunday, March 3, 2024. Bluffton dropped an 11-6 decision in game one against Baldwin Wallace and then lost to Rockford 18-11 in game two. The Beavers fell to 0-2 on the season after day one in Florida.
The Yellow Jackets scored first in the top of the second, but Bluffton answered back in the bottom of the third when Seth Altman (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) and Grant Hovest (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) both scored for a 2-1 Beaver lead. It was quiet until the top of the 6th when two Baldwin Wallace tallies made it 3-2. In the bottom of the frame, an Evan Houseman (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) double plated Kenny Schneider (Sunbury/Big Walnut) knotting it up at 3-3. A Yellow Jacket error allowed Houseman to cross the plate before Altman and Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) both touched home for a 6-3 Bluffton advantage. The 8th and 9th innings saw eight Yellow Jackets score to secure their 11-6 come-from-behind victory.
Game two against Rockford was a four-hour whirlwind that started with a failed pick off attempt allowing Ezra Deitering (Ottawa/Miller City) to score and give Bluffton a 1-0 lead. The Regents answered back with a tally of their own in the top of the second, but a run for Brandon North (Hilliard/Bradley) and a two-run bomb for Baumgartner gave the Beavers a 4-1 lead at the end of two. Seven runs for Rockford with just one for the Beavers through the fifth had the Regents taking a 10-5 lead.
Two sacrifice flies, an error, and an Altman single plated four more Beavers (11-9) with two innings to play. However, six straight runs for the Regents and just two more for Bluffton propelled Rockford to the 18-11 victory.
In game one, Baumgartner led the Beavers with two hits and two RBI. Hovest also tallied two RBI in the loss. Andrew Collinsworth (Westerville/Westerville South) started on the mound for Bluffton, allowing only three runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings of work. Nathan Young (Copley) took the loss after giving up four runs on three hits in one inning of work.
Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) tallied two hits and two runs in game two. Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont), Tyler Fuller (Lewis Center/Orange) and Altman all tallied two RBI for the Beavers. Jaden Jaques (New Palestine, IN) started on the mound against Rockford and he took the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings of work. He struck out two and walked five.
Bluffton will face off against Rockford again on Monday, March 4. First pitch is set for 9 a.m. Go Beavers!
-BEAVERS-
