BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team struggled to put runs on the board in a sweep by visiting Kalamazoo College on Wednesday, March 30, 2022. Bluffton slipped to 6-10 on the season, while Kalamazoo improved to 13-5.

Bluffton scored a run in the first and another in the seventh, but a couple late miscues in the field propeled Kalamazoo to a 5-2 victory in the lidlifter. A Bobbi Adams (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) double plated Lily Tate (Mount Gilead/Northmor) in the first frame and Sammi Urban (Troy/Miami East) picked up Mia McCartney (North Baltimore) in the final inning, however, a four-run sixth by the Hornets was the difference in the opener on a windy Wednesday afternoon.

Tate went 2-of-3 in game one. Fellow junior Erin Norman (Pleasant Hill/Newton) fell to 2-6 after allowing four runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings of work.

Madison Jones (West Milton/Milton Union) scurried home on a Hornet passed ball in the first inning of game two, but two Kalamazoo tallies in the top half and four more an inning later made it 6-1 midway through the second frame.

Taylor Shimp (St. Marys/Memorial) picked up Hayley Lewis with her single down the right field line in the fourth and Adams hit her second dinger in as many days in the fifth, making it 9-4 Kalamazoo with two innings to play.

The Hornets closed out their 11-6 victory despite RBI's by Lexus Rutledge (Henderson, KY/Henderson County) and McCartney in the seventh.

Adams was a perfect 4-of-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Jones and Lewis both rapped three hits and Jones scored three times.

Grace Fillinger (Hinckley/Highland) took the loss after surrendering six runs on six hits in just 1.2 innings of work. She walked three and struck out two. Jones and Katie Fleshman (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) also saw time in the circle.

Bluffton is back at home for the Heartland Conference opener on Saturday, April 2, when the Beavers welcome Rose-Hulman. Game one is slated for 1 p.m.

-BEAVERS-