KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Bluffton University softball team capped its week in Michigan off with a pair of setbacks at the hands of Kalamazoo College on a cold Sunday, April 2, 2023. The Hornets improved to 10-8 on the season, while Bluffton fell to 10-10 following the non-conference sweep.

An RBI double by Kaylee Grant (Lima/Shawnee) in the third and an RBI double by fellow freshman Julia Tegeder (Hamilton) in the 6th knotted the game at two apiece, but Kalamazoo took advantage of a run-scoring two-bagger in the bottom of the frame to hold off Bluffton 3-2 in the lidlifter.

The six Bluffton hits were spread around among six starters in game one. Senior Erin Norman (Pleasant Hill/Newton) slipped to 6-4 despite limiting the home team to three runs on six hits in a complete-game effort. She struck out three and walked two.

The visitors fell behind 4-0 in the first inning of game two and that was all the Hornets would need. Taylor Born (Mt. Cory/Cory-Rawson) singled home Kryshel Dales (Defiance/Ayersville) in the second before Bobbi Adams (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) and Grant added RBI's in the fifth, but Kalamazoo had too much in the tank, capping the sweep with a 7-3 victory.

Senior Grace Fillinger (Hinckley/Highland) took the loss, dropping to 4-4 on the season. She allowed seven runs on 11 hits in six innings of work. Fillinger set four Hornets down and did not allow a free pass.

Grant paced the Bluffton offense with three hits and an RBI while Tegeder added two hits and she scored a run.

Bluffton will return to its home field for the first time since March 16 when the Beavers host Oberlin College on Tuesday, April 4. Game one is slated for 3:30 p.m.

-BEAVERS-