By: Colton Steiner
BLUFFTON, Ohio - On a perfect spring day without a cloud in the sky, the Bluffton University baseball team hosted the Berea College Mountaineers in their final home contest of the year. The Beavers scored early and often en route to a 15-5 mercy-rule victory. Bluffton improved to 7-25-1 on the season with a 5-12 HCAC mark, while the Mountaineers dipped to 8-24 overall and to 2-14 in conference play.
Ayden Spriggs (North Lewisburg/Triad) would light the match to start the game, singling home Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont) to put the Beavers up 1-0 in the bottom of the first. After Spriggs was able to steal home, Drew Snipes (Pickerington/North) would bring home another run with a single up the middle to put Bluffton up 3-0.
In the top of the second, Berea responded with three runs of their own, evening up the contest at 3-3. The game wouldn't be tied for long as Jack Towell connected on an RBI single to right center, followed by a run-scoring double from Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge), giving the Beavers a 5-3 lead going into the third.
The Mountaineers were able to score a run off a wild pitch in the third, but a six-run sixth inning from the hosts, that included a two-run double from Jack Towell, extended Bluffton's lead to 11-5. Berea managed to bring home a run in the top of the seventh, but the Beavers would score four runs in the bottom of the inning, drawing six straight walks to end the game with a 15-5 victory.
The bat would be hot for Jack Towell as the senior was a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate, tallying four RBIs and two runs, while also drawing a pair of walks. His two runs scored moved him to the top of the all-time list with 149 runs, surpassing Nick Broyles as the career leader! Brandon North (Hilliard/Bradley) and Drew Snipes both smacked a pair of hits and each scored twice. Jake McCoy (Milford) was 2-for-5 at the plate and Justin Maurer drove in three runs. Bluffton dominated at the dish, collecting 13 hits while also drawing 12 walks in the contest.
Picking up the victory on the mound was sophomore Matthew Becher (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) who improved to 2-3 on the year. He tossed six strong innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits while fanning four batters. Senior Wyatt Groves (Marengo/Highland) finished off the victory, firing a pair of strikeouts while only allowing one hit in one inning of relief.
The Beavers will have a day off before traveling to Ohio Wesleyan on Thursday, April 24, with the first pitch being thrown at 4:15 p.m. The contest was originally slated for Memorial Field, but it is moving to the home of the Battling Bishops.
-BEAVERS-