LANCASTER, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Chatham College from Pittsburgh, Pa. Matching up with his former assistant Nic Rush, Head Coach James Grandey and the Beavers split the distance and traveled to beautiful Beavers Field in Lancaster on a sunny Saturday, March 16, 2024.
A Peter Tadic grand slam in the fourth inning helped Chatham forge a commanding 9-0 lead heading to the sixth inning. Bluffton cracked the scoring column with a Brandon North (Hilliard/Bradley) dinger in the sixth and then a six-run seventh saw the Beavers pull within two runs thanks to seven base knocks.
Bluffton put runners on in both the eighth and ninth, but Chatham closer Tyler Cote finished it up for his fourth save of the season.
Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) smacked three hits, while North went 2-of-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont), Ayden Spriggs (North Lewisburg/Triad) and Ezra Deitering (Ottawa/Miller City) al chipped in with two safeties in the lidlifter.
Junior Andrew Collinsworth (Westerville/Westerville South) fell to 0-2 after allowing six runs on six hits in 3.1 innings of work. He fanned five and walked two Cougars. CJ Polen (Wellington)) and Wyatt Groves (Marengo/Highland) combined for three scoreless innings on the hill.
Chatham jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but Bluffton responded with three in the bottom half and five more in the second inning. Spriggs, North and Altman all walked with the bases loaded, knotting the game at 3-3.
Kenny Schneider (Sunbury/Big Walnut) sandwiched a pair of free passes around a Baumgartner single, setting the stage for Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) and he delivered with the bags full of Beavers! His grand salami made it 7-3 before a Hovest sacrifice fly plated Spriggs for an 8-3 lead after two innings.
Bluffton added three in the fifth when Deitering ripped a two-run double to center and North lifted a sacrifice fly to left. Baumgartner's single an inning later drove in Hovest and the Beaver hurlers closed out the 12-7 victory in game two.
Baumgartner went 4-of-6 with three runs scored and Maurer drove in four with his shot to left. He also scored three times. North and Deitering both chipped in with two hits and two RBI.
Riley Reyna (Wellington) allowed four runs on five hits in four innings but did not factor in the decision. William Nowakowski (Grand Rapids/Swanton) picked up his first win after two innings of reilief in which the right hander gave up two runs on two hits. Ben Eisenhauer (San Jose, Cal./Leigh) and Nathan Young (Copley) both tossed scoreless frames out of the bullpen.
Bluffton will makes its home debut on Tuesday, March 19, when Otterbein comes to town. First pitch from Memorial Field is slated for 4:15 p.m.
-BEAVERS-