BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team raked in the hardware on Wednesday, May 15, when the Heartland Conference announced its post-season awards for the 2024 season. Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) earned First Team All-Heartland Conference, while veterans Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) and Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont) locked down Second Team All-HCAC honors. Freshman Riley Reyna (Wellington) was named Honorable Mention All-HCAC following his first season as a Beaver.
Maurer has shown steady improvement at the plate, hitting .171 as a freshman, .320 as a sophomore and then .360 on his way to First Team All-Heartland recognition. One season after earning Honorable Mention All-HCAC, the junior turned himself into one of the most feared hitters in the conference. He hit .360 for the season, including a stout .390 in HCAC play. His six homers, 39 runs scored, 11 two-baggers, .574 slugging percentage and .532 on-base percentage all led the team. In addition, his 22 hit by pitches set a new school record, while his 29 walks are tied for 2nd all-time at Bluffton.
On the other side of the ball, Maurer's work with the leather is nothing short of spectacular. His 279 putouts and 290 chances are both 4th all-time for a single season. Maurer is currently 2nd all-time with 716 career putouts, 3rd all-time with 744 chances and 5th all-time with 58 double plays. His .988 fielding percentage is also top 15 all-time at Bluffton.
Maurer is also making his mark on the hitting side of the career record book. He is tied for 6th all-time with 14 career dingers and could go as high number two or three with one season to play. His .446 career on-base percentage is 11th all-time, while his .532 OBP in 2024 is 9th for a single season. Maurer has walked 55 times (11th all-time) and he has a list of bruises a mile long thanks to being hit by 44 pitches (2nd all-time).
Baumgartner collected his third consecutive All-Heartland Conference honor for baseball and he is also a two-time All-HCAC selection for his punting and kicking on the football field! The graduate student smacked 66 hits (7th in the HCAC) which placed him behind all-time greats Kyle Niermann and Tyler Stephenson on the single season list. He scored 37 runs, drove in 32 and drew 21 free passes on the way to a .438 on-base percentage. Bummy also stole six bases and smacked 10 doubles.
The career record book is littered with entries for the standout second sacker. He is tied for 3rd all-time with 153 games playes, while his 148 starts are tied for 4th all-time. Baumgartner is also top 5 all-time with 600 at bats, 120 runs scored and 198 hits while his 40 doubles, 104 RBI and 265 total bases are all top 10 all-time. This year he also became the leader with 81 career walks!
His work at second base and behind the plate have him 5th with 711 chances and 15th with 406 putouts, while his 274 career assists are 7th all-time and his 60 double plays are 4th on the career list.
Towell hit .299 for the season, but he torched the HCAC pitchers with a red-hot .384 batting average! He scored 32 times and drove in 36 runs with 47 hits, including 11 doubles. The graduate student walked 18 times and was hit by 11 pitches, upping his career record to 55 HBP's!
He is at the top of the all-time lists with 172 games played, 171 starts, 657 at bats and 146 RBI! His 214 hits are 3rd all-time while his 303 total bases are 4th. Towell stands 5th with 15 home runs, 3rd with 13 sacrifice flies and 7th with 60 career walks. His 40 doubles are also top 5 all-time.
The starting shortstop for the past five seasons, Towell leads the Beavers with 400 assists and he is 8th all-time with 670 chances. His 61 double plays are 3rd on the career list.
Reyna wasted little time putting his name beside team ace on the Bluffton roster, starting twice in Florida, both games that Bluffton won. He went 2-3 with 11 appearance and 10 starts, his only relief inning coming at Comerica Park. The freshman righty led the Beavers with 57.2 innings pitched and 50 strikeouts, while his .277 opponent batting average was tops for anyone who tossed more than 20 innings this season. It also has him tied for 8th all-time on the career list.
Reyna saved his best for last, giving the Beavers a herculean effort on the mound at Franklin on the final weekend, tossing 140 pitches for the only complete game by a Bluffton hurler this season! He fanned 11 Grizzlies against just two walks while scattering 12 hits over nine innings.
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