WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team led 5-1 into the sixth inning, but Wilmington stormed back for a 6-5 victory on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. The Quakers improved to 5-2 on the season as the Beavers dropped their season opener.

A Nathaniel DeWeese (Columbus/Hilliard Davidson) double to left in the first inning put Bluffton up 2-0 when Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) and Kenny Schneider (Sunbury/Big Walnut) came around to score.

Baumgartner picked up Adam Yoh (Milford) in the fourth and Brandon Wilson's (Casstown/Miami East) fielder's choice an inning later gave the Beavers a 4-1 lead before Yoh's bunt single put the visitors up 5-1 midway through the fifth frame.

Bluffton's offense dried up and Wilmington began to chip away at the Beaver lead in the home sixth. A Caleb Scott double pulled the Quakers within a run (5-4) in the seventh and they knotted it in the eighth before Tyler Shaneyfelt stole home with the game winner in the bottom of the ninth.

Baumgartner went 2-of-4 and DeWeese drove in two runs with his first-inning double. Seven Beavers had a turn on the mound with Seth Evans (Ada/OSU-Lima) taking the loss when Wilmington walked off with the stolen base in the home ninth. Wyatt Groves (Marengo/Highland) and Garrett O'Reilly (Galena/Orange) both tossed two innings with three strikeouts apiece.

Bluffton will return to action on Sunday, March 6, when the Beavers do battle with Thiel College at Terry Park in Fort Myers, Fla. The Sunshine State lidlifter is slated for 9 a.m.

-BEAVERS-