By: Colton Steiner

BEREA, Ohio - The Bluffton University Beavers traveled to Northeast Ohio to face off against the Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets. The bats would be hot right out of the gate for the Yellow Jackets as they handed the Beavers a 11-2 loss. With the defeat, the Beavers dropped to 3-14 overall while Baldwin Wallace improved to 8-7 on the season.

The Yellow Jackets would get to work in the bottom of the first with a two-run triple and an RBI single to take an early 3-0 lead. The hits would keep on coming in the bottom of the second and with bases loaded, Colin West smacked a grand slam to put the home team ahead 7-0.

Bluffton would get some offense going in the top of the third when Ayden Spriggs (North Lewisburg/Triad) smoked a double too center, scoring a pair of runs and cutting the gap to 7-2. Baldwin Wallace responded with a run in the bottom of the third and another run in the bottom of the fourth on the way to a 9-2 advantage.

After a scoreless fifth, the Yellow Jackets would add two runs off a double to left center, going up 11-2 which was the score when the final horn sounded midway through the ninth inning.

Leading the charge at the plate were Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) and Ayden Spriggs, who each collected a pair of hits. Spriggs also drove in both of Bluffton's runs.

Colton Murfield (Mansfield/Lexington) drew the start on the mound and he took the loss, falling to 0-2 on the year. Murfield went 2.0 innings, allowing seven runs off seven hits while walking a pair of batters. Picking up a team-high three strikeouts was fellow freshman Jayson McFann (Pedro/Rock Hill) in only 1.0 inning of work.

The Beavers will be back at home on Saturday, March 29, when they face the Franklin College Grizzlies in an HCAC doubleheader on Memorial Field with first pitch set for 1 p.m.

-BEAVERS-