By: Colton Steiner
LANCASTER, Ohio - The Bluffton Beavers would compete in their first games of the year in the Buckeye state as they would face off against the Captial Comets and the Chatham Cougars on Beavers Field in Lancaster, Ohio. Bluffton would get ahead early and after strong performances on the mound, the Beavers would come out with a 4-3 win over Capital. While Bluffton would hold a 7-4 lead on Chatham, back-to-back dingers for the Cougars played part in seven unanswered runs as they would hand the Beavers a 11-7 loss, putting them at 5-6 on the 2026 campaign.
After a pair of scoreless innings to start the contest against Capital, Bluffton would get on the board in the top of the third following an RBI single from Ayden Spriggs (North Lewisburg, Ohio / Triad), to put the Beavers up 1-0. They would score two more runs in the inning after Nathan Rorick (Dublin) brought home Drew Snipes (Pickerington, Ohio / North) and Sam Archambeau (Maumee, Ohio / Maumee/Albion College) smoked a single to right center to score Ayden Spriggs, as Bluffton would lead 3-0 in the middle of the inning. The Comets would respond immediately, scoring a pair of runs off a two-run single, cutting the Beaver lead to 3-2 heading into the fourth. Bluffton would increase their lead to 4-2 in the fifth after a double steal scored Ayden Spriggs, but another run from Capital off a single made it 4-3 in favor of the Beavers heading into the final two innings. While the Comets were able to load the bases in the eighth, Bluffton would come out of the inning unscathed as they went into the ninth with a one-run lead. Capital would load the bases once again in the bottom of the inning, and while they had one out, back to back popouts would seal the 4-3 victory for the Beavers.
As a unit, Bluffton would outhit the Comets 9-7 with six different Beavers connecting for hits in the outing. Leading the way was Sam Archambeau who smacked a pair of hits in the contest to go along with an RBI. Tyler Forest (Harrison, Ohio / LaSalle) and Xander Greulich (Pemberville, Ohio / Eastwood) would each go 2-for-4 at the plate, while Ayden Spriggs would account for a pair of runs in the game.
Picking up the win on the mound and moving to 1-1 on the season was Riley Reyna (Wellington), who pitched six innings and allowed just two runs off four hits, while fanning five strikeouts. Alexander James (Vandalia, Ohio / Butler) would seal the save, marking his first one of the season after going 1.1 innings and allowing zero runs off just two hits.
Heading into game two of the afternoon, Chatham would jump ahead 4-0 after scoring two runs in each of the first two innings. In the bottom of the second the Beaver would get on the board after Tyler Forest sneaked a RBI single through the right side to bring home Sam Archambeau to cut the deficit to 4-1. Drew Snipes would draw a walk with bases loaded to bring home Carsen Riddle (Troy), and with bases juiced, Ayden Spriggs would step up to the plate and smack a 3-run double to left center as Bluffton would now lead 5-4. They would score two more runs in the inning as they would jump ahead 7-4 heading into the third inning. The two teams would be scoreless until the sixth inning where the Cougars would hit a grand slam and then a solo homerun, immediately leading 9-7 on the Beavers. Chatham would increase their lead to 11-7 following an RBI double in the eigth and an error on the Bluffton defense in the ninth brought in another run as the Beavers entered their final at bat trailing by four. After Bluffton was unable to answer in the bottom of the ninth, the Cougars would come out with an 11-7 win over the Beavers.
The Cougars would be all over the ball at the plate, totaling 16 hits in the contest while Bluffton finished the contest with seven. Finishing the game a perfect 3-for-3 was Ayden Spriggs, who scored once and tallied three RBIs. Tyler Forest would also contribute with a pair of hits, while Drew Snipes would draw a pair of walks with one run and an RBI.
Matthew Becher (Fishers, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern) would start the contest on the hill, allowing four runs off nine hits, while striking out four in five innings pitched. Dropping to 1-2 after picking up the loss was William Nowakowski (Grand Rapids, Ohio / Swanton), who allowed five runs off four hits, while Jack Hardesty (Akron, Ohio / Hoban) would allow just one earned run off three hits in three innings of relief.
Following the split, the Beavers will off until Tuesday, Mar. 17 when they travel to face the Albion Britons at 4 p.m., before traveling to Transylvania on Saturday, Mar. 21 and competing in a double-header starting at noon.
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