FRANKLIN, Ind. - The Bluffton University softball team was ecstatic to be back on the field after having the 2020 season limited to 10 games due to COVID-19 and even a sweep at Franklin College could not dampen their spirits on a beautiful Saturday, March 13, 2021. Bluffton opens its season with a 0-2 mark, while the Grizzlies improved to 5-3.

Bluffton trailed just 2-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth in game one when the floodgates opened for Franklin. The Grizzlies pasted a seven-spot on the scoreboard to take the opener 9-0 in mercy-rule fashion.

Lily Tate (Mount Gilead/Northmor) smacked two of Bluffton's four hits, including a leadoff double to start the game. Grace Fillinger (Hinckley/Highland) worked four strong innings, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and a strikeout.

Game two saw Bluffton go up 1-0 when Taylor Shimp's (St. Marys/Memorial) bases-loaded walk pushed Marissa Auvil (Canton/North Canton Hoover) across the plate. Unfortunately, the home team scored three runs in the bottom half and eventually pushed its spread to 8-1 after six innings.

Bluffton made a game of it in the seventh, plating four runs and highlighted by a two-run Shimp base knock, but it was too little, too late as Franklin capped off its sweep with an 8-5 victory.

Sydney Bowen (Convoy/Crestview) rapped a team-best three hits while Shimp drove in three runs. Brianna Baker (Defiance/Ayersville) added a pair of safeties for the visitors.

Senior Katie McCord (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) went the distance, allowing eight runs, six earned, on 11 hits in six innings of work. She struck out three and walked two.

Bluffton will jump right back into action on Sunday, March 14, when the Beavers welcome Albion College for the 2021 home opener. The first contest is slated for 1 p.m.

-BEAVERS-