By: Takayla Gadberry, sports information alumna
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Bluffton University baseball team wrapped up their spring break trip with an 11-6 victory over Baruch before dropping a 5-1 decision to Scranton on Saturday, March 9. The Beavers ended their trip sitting at 3-6 overall.
The offense started off hot in game one when Ezra Deitering (Ottawa/Miller City), Ayden Spriggs (North Lewisburg/Triad) and Brandon North (Hilliard/Bradley) all crossed home for an early 3-0 Bluffton lead in the bottom of the second. A Caleb Giesken (Leipsic/Miller City) single plated Spriggs and North touched home again for a 5-0 advantage at the end of the fourth frame.
Baruch saw six players score in the fifth inning to take a 6-5 lead, but Bluffton answered back with five runs of their own in the sixth, highlighted by a Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont) double, to take a 10-6 lead. The Beavers capped off their 11-6 victory when Giesken scored on a throwing error by the catcher.
Giesken powered the Bluffton offense with two runs, three hits and three RBI. Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) also tallied two RBI in the victory.
Riley Reyna (Wellington) started, allowing five runs on five hits in 4.1 innings on the bump. He struck out two and walked two. Nathan Young (Copley) picked up his second win this year, allowing just one run on two hits in 1.2 innings of work. He sent three back to the dugout. Graduate student Jaden Jaques (New Palestine, IN/New Palestine) earned his first save of the season, tossing three hitless frames to close it out. He fanned two and walked one.
Scranton started out game two with five straight runs to give them a 5-0 lead wrapping up the fourth. Bluffton finally got on the board when a Towell sacrifice fly plated Giesken to cut the Beaver deficit to 5-1, but it wouldn't be enough as Scranton held on for the 5-1 victory.
Baumgartner, Spriggs, and Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) all tallied a hit apiece in the loss. Andrew Collinsworth (Westerville/Westerville South) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing five runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings on the hill. William Nowakowski (Grand Rapids/Swanton) and Matthew Becher (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) combined to toss 3.1 no-hit frames in relief.
The Beavers will head back to Ohio before traveling north to Michigan for a matchup against Albion on Tuesday, March 12. First pitch is slated for 4:15 p.m. Go Beavers!
-BEAVERS-