By: Colton Steiner, Livestream and E-Sports Coordinator
BLUFFTON, Ohio - After finishing the 2025 season with an overall record of 9-29-1 last season and a 6-16 mark in the HCAC, the Bluffton Beavers are looking at fill a bunch of shoes after having 18 players graduate. Head Coach James Grandey is entering his 23rd year at the helm and has his eyes set on earning a berth to the HCAC tournament, with the last appearance for Bluffton being in 2021.
Returning for the Beavers and leading the way at the plate is Ayden Spriggs (North Lewisburg/Triad) who is coming into his senior season after hitting .315 with a pair of home runs and 27 runs batted in. Also returning is junior Drew Snipes (Pickerington/North) who had a batting average of .258 with 19 runs and 13 RBIs while patrolling center field. He led the team in stolen bases with seven, while drawing 17 walks. Also coming back with Snipes is his fellow classmate and catcher Brandon North (Hilliard/Bradley). North had a solid outing in his sophomore campaign, hitting .256 with 13 runs and an on-base percentage of .374. Adding to Bluffton's depth behind the plate is Zane Sarcheck (Sunbury/Big Walnut), a graduate student who also works in admissions.
Sophomore outfielder Jake McCoy (Milford) hit .247 at the plate with a .394 on base percentage and 10 runs batted in. The freshman that found a groove late in the season was Kayden Smith (Mogadore/Field) who hit a team-high three home runs, all in the final four games of the year. Smith finished his freshman campaign with a .294 batting average, including five RBIs. Also back is swiss army knife Tyler Forest (Harrison/LaSalle) who scored six times while hitting .250 at the plate.
The Beaver pitching staff has experience, with 2025 ace Riley Reyna (Wellington) coming back for his third season after going 3-4 last season. Reyna threw 59.2 innings with an ERA of 4.83 and 4.68 strikeouts per nine innings. With a 2-4 record last season with 30 strikeouts, junior Matthew Becher (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern ) is back on the mound for Bluffton after forging an ERA of 5.36 in 43.2 innings.
Alexander James (Vandalia/Butler) is back for his senior season after throwing 14.2 innings of relief in 2025 with an ERA of 8.59. Also joining him as the leading seniors are William Nissen (Genoa) and Jack Genzman (Ottawa Hills) who both saw action, appearing in seven and six games last season, respectivey.
Bluffton will kick off its season down in Florida on Sunday, March 1, before coming back to Ohio to face off against Chatham and Capital in a double-header on Saturday, Mar. 14. They will open HCAC play on Saturday, Mar. 21, at 1 p.m. when they travel to Kentucky to face off against the Transylvania Pioneers. The Beavers will then host Anderson in their home opener on Sunday, Mar. 22 at 1 p.m. on Memorial Field. Bluffton wraps up the regular season on Sunday, May 3, when the Beavers face off against Franklin at 1 p.m.
-BEAVERS-