TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Bluffton University baseball team battled back from a 10-4 deficit with six runs in the sixth, but Rose-Hulman responded quickly and held on for a 14-11 victory over the Beavers on Sunday, April 7, 2024. Bluffton fell to 9-15 overall and 4-6 in the Heartland Conference following the three-game sweep, while the Engineers improved to 14-10 and 6-4 in the HCAC.

The visitors jumped on top with four runs on four hits in the second inning. Freshman Tyler Fuller (Lewis Center/Orange) laced a leadoff double and made it 1-0 when Seth Altman (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) singled to right field. Jack Towell's (Batavia/West Clermont) base knock scored Altman before Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) pushed the lead to 4-0 with his two-run single to left.

Rose scored 10 unanswered tallies over the next four innings, but Bluffton used a six-run sixth to knot it up at 10 apiece. With two outs and the bags full of Beavers, Towell ripped a two-run single to right that plated Kenny Schneider (Sunbury/Big Walnut) and Matthew Mitchell (Amelia/McNicholas). Maurer doubled home Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) and Evan Houseman (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) cleaned it up with a three-run dinger that made the score 10-10.

A leadoff walk for the Engineers in the bottom of the frame paid immediate dividends when a Rose triple to right center broke the tie. Ezra Deitering (Ottawa/Miller City) picked up Baumgartner with a run-scoring single in the eighth, but the home team was too much, wrapping up the sweep with a 14-11 victory on Sunday.

Maurer and Deitering both went 3-of-5, while Towell, Maurer and Houseman all drove in three runs on Sunday. Baumgartner scored three runs for the Beavers. Towell and Houseman both smacked two hits and Towell scored twice.

Junior Wyatt Groves (Marengo/Highland) gave up eight runs on eight hits in 3.2 innings of work, but he did not factor in the decision. Groves walked two and struck out one. Jaden Jaques (New Palestine, Ind.) took the loss after allowing four runs on five hits in 2.1 innings of relief. His line included three strikeouts and a walk. Senior Sean Brock (Wauseon) needed just four batters to get the Engineers out in the bottom of the eighth.

Bluffton will look to regroup on Eclipse Day before welcoming Ohio Northern for a non-league tussle on Tuesday, April 9, at 4:15 p.m.

-BEAVERS-