BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team battled the wind and Mount St. Joseph on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, dropping a pair of five-inning games to the Lions. Bluffton fell to 10-18 on the season and 0-8 in the Heartland Conference, while the Lions stayed perfect at 6-0 in the HCAC and improved to 20-6 overall.

Freshman Reagen O'Brien (Bellbrook) doubled and junior Kaylee Grant (Lima/Shawnee) launched a two-run bomb to right center, knotting the score at 2-2 heading to the second inning of the lidlifter. The Lions responded with three in the second and seven in the third before an Ella McCombs (Springfield/Southeastern) triple and a Tianna Galbraith (Wayne/Elmwood) RBI ground ball made the score 12-4 going to the fourth frame.

O'Brien singled home Galbraith in the bottom of the fifth, but a Lion run in the fourth and another 7-spot in the top of fifth made the final score 20-5. The freshman catcher finished game one going 3-of-4 with a run and an RBI. McCombs added a pair of safeties and Grant drove in two runs.

Freshman Grace Gronberg (Danville) fell to 4-9 after surrendering 20 runs on 12 hits in 4.2 innings of work. She walked seven and struck out three, but also had to deal with seven Beaver errors as only six of the runs were earned.

Grant singled and circled the bases in the top of the first after an errant MSJ throw went into the right field corner and she crossed the dish two innings later following a Riley Hammonds (Russia) two-bagger to right center which made the score 6-2 in favor of the visitors.

The wheels fell off in the top of the fifth as MSJ scored 10 times thanks to eight hits and three Beaver miscues. A Mia McCartney (North Baltimore) two-run double plated Grant and Colleen Meese (Rocky River) who singled to right for her second collegiate hit.

Grant, who scored three runs, and Hammonds both rapped two hits in the nightcap. McCartney drove in a pair of runs.

Meese fell to 2-3 after allowing six runs on five hits in 1.2 innings of work. She struck out one and walked four Lions.

Bluffton makes the long trip to Berea for a pair of Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference contests on Saturday, April 19, 2025. Game one is slated for 1 p.m.

-BEAVERS-