ALBION, Mich. - The Bluffton University softball team rallied for a 5-4 win in game one and then held on for a 6-5 victory in the nightcap as the Beavers improved to 10-10 with a sweep at Albion College on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Bluffton managed just one hit through the first five innings in game one as the home team led 4-0 going to the sixth inning when the Beaver bats came alive. Freshman Ella McLear (Greenville) singled to left center and senior Kayleigh Michael (Eaton/National Trail) followed with a double to right center, putting two ducks on the pond for leadoff hitter Taryn Hampton (Fostoria/Hopewell Louden) who launched a two-run double to center field. A perfectly-executed sacrifice bunt by Reagen O'Brien (Bellbrook), coupled with an errant throw by the Britons, made the score 4-4 as Hampton and Ella McCombs (Springfield/Southeastern) both scurried home.
The visitors were not done as base hits by Riley Hammonds (Russia), Grace Gronberg (Danville) and Hampton made the score 5-4 going to the bottom of the seventh. Gronberg was up to the task as the freshman hurler set the Britons down in order for the second straight inning to secure her fourth victory of the season (4-5).
Gronberg notched her second complete-game win in three days, allowing four runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks in seven innings of work.
Hampton went 2-of-4 with three RBI and one run scored. Michael was 2-of-3 in the the lidlifter.
Base hits by McCombs and Gronberg, sandwiched around a pair of Albion errors in the first inning, put the Beavers up 1-0. Junior Julia Tegeder (Hamilton) followed with an RBI single that plated Hammonds for the early 2-0 lead.
The Beavers tacked on two more runs in the second when Mia McCartney (North Baltimore) doubled home McCombs and Hampton. Hammonds and McCartney were back in the action two innings later as Bluffton pushed its lead to 6-0. Hammonds doubled home McCombs and McCartney followed with another RBI single.
Albion cut its deficit in half with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth and they scored two more in the seventh, but sophomore Colleen Meese (Rocky River) induced a game-ending fielder's choice with runner on the corners to give the Beavers their second sweep of the week!
McCombs was a perfect 3-of-3 with a walk, a stolen base and three runs scored. McCartney was also all over it, going 3-of-4 with three RBI. Tegeder checked in with two hits and Hammonds scored twice.
Lewis evened her season mark at 4-4 after allowing five runs on nine hits with just one walk in 6.1 innings of work. Meese recorded the final two outs for her first collegiate save.
Bluffton will hit the road for its Heartland Conference ice-breaker on Saturday, March 29, when the Beavers travel to Hanover College for a noon doubleheader.
-BEAVERS-