BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team found itself on the wrong end of a sweep by the Manchester University Spartans on a cold Saturday, April 20, 2024.
The Beavers went up 3-1 in the bottom of the first thanks to four hits and a free pass. Freshman Matthew Mitchell (Amelia/McNicholas) singled home Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge), knotting it at 1-1 before Ethan Moore's (Bellefontaine) two-run double to center plated Mitchell and Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont).
Manchester scored 10 runs over the final four innings, including three apiece in the seventh and eighth, on the way to an 11-4 victory in the lidlifter. Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) doubled in Moore for the final Bluffton tally in inning seven.
Maurer and Towell finished with two hits apiece, while Moore drove in two runs.
Freshman Riley Reyna (Wellington) allowed just three runs in his five-inning start, but he did not factor in the decision despite fanning seven Spartans with no walks. Jaden Jaques (East Palestine, Ind.) fell to 2-5 after allowing four runs, but just one earned, in two innings of relief.
Senior Seth Altman (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) ripped a run-scoring two-bagger in the second inning and his base hit in the fourth drove in Mitchell, but Manchester dumped eight runs on the board in the middle three innings for an 8-2 win and series sweep.
Towell and Evan Houseman (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) both went 2-of-5 in the nightcap, while Altman was 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Ben Eisenhauer (San Jose, Cal./Leigh) fell to 1-4 after surrendering four runs on five hits in 3.1 innings on the bump. He struck out five and walked three. Nathan Young (Copley), Darius Boeke (Sidney) and Garrett Rice (Coshocton) combined to toss 3.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Bluffton will continue its marathon week of baseball with a trip to Wittenberg on Sunday, April 21. The first pitch is slated for 4 p.m. in Springfield.
-BEAVERS-
