By: Colton Steiner

NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. - For their final three games of the season, the Bluffton University baseball team was slated for a pair of trips to Indiana to face off against the Manchester University Spartans. The Friday games both went down to the wire, going into extra innings, with Bluffton winning game one, 3-2, and falling in the second game, 7-6. The Beavers are now 9-28-1 with their conference record moving to 6-15, while Manchester sits at 25-12 on the season and 14-7 in the HCAC.

Neither team would get any offense going until the top of the third when a Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont) RBI single to left center put the Beavers up 1-0. The lead wouldn't last long as the Spartans immediately responded in the bottom half with a run-scoring double to the gap in right field, evening up the contest at 1-1.

Following a scoreless fourth inning, a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth gave Manchester the 2-1 lead. Still trailing by one into the ninth inning in Bluffton's final opportunity at the plate, freshman Kayden Smith (Mogadore/Field) would hit a towering game-tying solo home run down the right field line, making it a 2-2 ball game. Neither team would score in the 10th, but a Manchester miscue in the top of the 11th allowed Brandon North (Hilliard/Bradley) to score from third, putting the Beavers up 3-2. In the bottom of the inning, the Spartans would be unable to answer as Bluffton walked away with a 3-2 victory in game one.

Justin Maurer (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) led the way with two hits, while five other Beavers collected one hit apiece. Kayden Smith hit a long ball for the second time in as many games after hitting one at Hanover.

Improving to 1-6 on the season was Wyatt Groves (Marengo/Highland) who pitched two innings of relief, allowing no runs on only one hit while recording a strikeout. Nathan Young (Copley) pitched a gem, starting the game and going nine innings, allowing only one earned run off six hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts.

In game two, Manchester would go up 1-0 after a sacrifice fly plated a run in the bottom of the fourth. Bluffton answered in the top of the sixth with an RBI single from Ayden Spriggs (North Lewisburg/Triad) that squeaked down the right field line, picking up Jack Towell.

Tied 1-1 in the top of the seventh, Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) put the Beavers on top after his base hit to the gap in left scored Trey Pipenger (Richmond, Ind.), making it 2-1. The inning wouldn't end there as Kayden Smith continued his tear at the plate, smacking a three-run dinger to right that pushed the spread to 5-1.

The lead would be short-lived as the hosts would score three times in the bottom of the seventh before a solo home run in the eighth knotted the game at 5-5. Then in the top of the ninth, a Manchester error brought home Zane Sarcheck (Sunbury/Big Walnut) and gave the Beavers a 6-5 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Manchester would even up the game with a single up the middle, making it 6-6.

After a scoreless 10th, the Spartans would bring home the game-winner in the 11th with a run-plating single for a 7-6 win over Bluffton.

It was another great game at the plate for Kayden Smith  as he smacked a team-high three hits and three RBI in the outing. Rapping two hits apiece were Ayden Spriggs and Justin Maurer with Jake Baumgartner picking up an RBI. Manchester did have the upper hand on offense, outhitting the Beavers 14-8 in the contest.

Riley Reyna (Wellington) would start the day on the hill, going seven strong innings while allowing just three runs on eight hits with one walk and one strikeout. Sean Brock (Wauseon) took the loss, dropping his only decision of the season

The Bluffton baseball season will come to a close on Sunday, May 4, when the Beavers face off with Manchester in the rubber match, starting at noon.

-BEAVERS-