By: Ethan Stearns, sports information assistant
FRANKLIN, Ind. - The Bluffton University baseball team came up short in two conference matchups with Franklin College on Saturday, April 29, 2023. The first game saw 26 total runs scored, with the Beavers falling 18-8 after eight innings. The nightcap ended with a final score of 10-5 when the rain picked up yet again after a pair of lightning delays. Bluffton is now 18-14 overall and 10-6 in the HCAC. The Grizzlies have been on a tear and they improved to 26-8 with a league-best 14-2 mark in a competitive Heartland Conference.
After Franklin jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead, Bluffton responded with an outstanding six-run third inning for a 6-4 Beaver lead. After walks to Austin Francis (Troy/Miami East) and Grant Hovest (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf), Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) slapped a single to right center that plated Francis. With runners on the corners, Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont) did what he has now done eight times this season, smashing a ball over the fence for a three-run homer! The very next batter for Bluffton, Justin Mauer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge), wanted in on the homer action, so he promptly sent one out of the park for a 5-4 lead. Kenny Schneider (Sunbury/Big Walnut) reached second on a fielding error, which put him in perfect position to score off a single to right field from Ezra Deitering (Ottawa/Miller City) as Bluffton took a 6-4 advantage.
FC bounced right back with five runs in the home third before adding three in the fourth and two in the fifth for a commanding 14-6 lead all the way until the seventh inning where the Beavers scored their final two runs of the opening contest. Francis was able to score Schneider on a single to shortstop. Baumgartner added another RBI when he plated Deitering with a knock to left field.
The home team would go on to score four more runs in the bottom side of the eighth, giving them an 18-8 win in mercy-rule fashion.
Towell led his Bluffton squad with three RBI's on two hits. Baumgartner added two RBI in the lidlifter.
Jaden Jaques (New Palestine, Ind.) fell to 5-3 with the loss, going three innings with three strikeouts. He allowed nine runs, but only four earned, on eight hits. Josh Slade (Cincinnati/Madeira) tossed the final 2.2 frames with one strikeouts and four walks.
Just like the first game, Bluffton was able to put together one very stout offensive inning in the seventh, but the consistency of the Grizzlies proved too much as they were able to score in five different innings.
FC took an 8-0 lead through the first five innings, before allowing five Bluffton scores in the seventh. With the bases loaded, Francis took advantage with a base knock that scored a run and kept all the bases occupied. Hovest loaded up for a fielder's choice that scored Schneider and Ayden Spriggs (North Lewisburg/Triad) followed suit with a fielder's choice of his own for an RBI. Finally, Towell cracked his second homer of the day, pulling Bluffton within three runs, 8-5!
The home team iced it with two more runs in their half of the seventh in order to take a 10-5 victory in game two.
Towell continued upon his performance in the opener with another home run for two RBIs. Hovest, Spriggs, and Francis all contributed with scoring hits as well. Jacob Boelkens (Millbury/Lake) tossed four frames and an out in the fifth, allowing seven runs before Seth Altman (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) stepped in for the final 2.2 innings, allowing three runs on six hits.
Your Bluffton Beavers hop right back into action on Sunday, April 30, as they continue conference play with a doubleheader against Transylvania University. The men will look for a couple key HCAC victories when they meet the Pioneers for game one at 1 p.m.
-BEAVERS-