NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. - The Bluffton University softball team fell 9-2 and 9-3 at Manchester University on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Bluffton dipped to 6-24 overall and 0-8 in the Heartland Conference, while the Spartans upped their season mark to 15-10 and 6-2 in the HCAC.

The home team built a commanding 7-0 lead before Bluffton cracked the scoreboard with two tallies in the sixth inning. Following a walk to Mia McCartney (North Baltimore) and bunt single for Elizabeth Crites (Findlay), freshman Emily Hope (Enon/Greenon) drove an RBI single through the right side. Senior Kryshel Dales (Defiance/Ayersville) made it 7-2 with her sacrifice fly to center, but Manchester closed out game one with a 9-2 victory.

Sophomore Julia Tegeder (Hamilton) rapped two of Bluffton's six hits. Hope slipped to 3-4 after allowing nine runs on 12 hits in five innings of work. Senior Katie Fleshman (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) needed just two batters to record the final three outs as Manchester lined into a double play before a Spartan groundout.

A Riley Hammonds (Russia) sacrifice fly and RBI double for Hayley Lewis (Kettering/Fairmont) put the visitors up 2-0 after the top of the first inning in game two. Manchester bounced back with nine runs for a 9-2 lead going to the final frame. Hailey Lennard (North Baltimore) plated Taryn Hampton (Fostoria/Hopewell Louden) in the seventh, making the final score 9-3 in favor of Sparty.

Although Lewis fell to 1-9 after surrendering nine runs on 14 hits, she had a career game at the plate, going 4-of-4 with an RBI. Crites went 2-of-3 and scored a run.

Bluffton is back on its home turf this Saturday, April 20, for Senior Day! Game one with conference-rival Rose-Hulman is slated for 1 p.m. following the senior announcements for Fleshman, Dales and Taylor Born (Mt. Cory/Cory-Rawson).

-BEAVERS-