By: Colton Steiner

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton Beavers would host the Anderson Ravens in their first conference matchup of the season. Bluffton would take advantage of pitching miscues from the Ravens as they would come away with a 5-3 win in game one before Anderson was able to seal the split after knocking off the Beavers 5-3 in the second game of the double header. With the split, the Beavers now sit at 6-9 on the season and move to 1-3 in the HCAC, while Anderson moves to 10-8 overall and 3-1 in conference play. 

Neither team would do anything in the first two innings in game one, but after Anderson was able to score a pair in the top of the third, they would take a 2-0 lead. After scoreless fourth and fifth innings, Bluffton was able to get on the board and cut the deficit to one after a single from Xander Greulich (Pemberville, Ohio / Eastwood) scored Ayden Spriggs (North Lewisburg, Ohio / Triad), cutting the deficit to 2-1. The game would stay that way until the eighth frame where the Beavers drew a walk with bases loaded to even up the game, followed by back-to-back-to-back hit by pitch RBIs as they found themseves up 5-2 going into the ninth. Anderson was able to bring home a run to cut the lead to two, but the Beavers were able to get out of the jam as they would come away with a 5-3 victory. 

Despite getting outhit 9-7, the home team managed to draw six walks while also taking five hit by pitches. Tyler Forest (Harrison, Ohio / LaSalle) would lead the Bluffton offense, going 2-for-4 with an RBI while Drew Snipes (Pickerington, Ohio / North), Carsen Riddle (Troy), and Xander Greulich would each tally one hit and one RBI apiece. Ayden Spriggs and JT Vaughn (Mason) would also record a hit in the outing, while Brandon North (Hilliard, Ohio / Bradley) would draw a pair of walks. 

Picking up the win on the mound was Alexander James (Vandalia, Ohio / Butler), who improves to 1-0 following one inning of relief as Jayce Emmitt (Columbus, Ind. / Columbus North) would close out the game and notch his first save of the season. Noah Davis (Cincinnati, Ohio / Norwood) would start the contest and toss seven innings, allowing just two runs off seven hits while fanning seven batters to three walks

In the second game of the double header, Bluffton would jump ahead 1-0 after Brandon North was able to steal home after attempt from Anderson to throw out Drew Snipes stealing second was unsuccessful. The Ravens would even up the contest in the top of the second after an RBI single that sneaked between second and three made it a 1-1 ballgame. In the bottom of the inning, the Beavers would retake the lead after Carsen Riddle smacked a single to right center that scored Wes Toth (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston), giving Bluffton a 2-1 lead. After scoreless third and fourth innings, Anderson would score four runs in the fifth inning to jump ahead 5-2 as the wind would start to pick up. The two teams offense would stay stagnant for the next three innings and while the Beavers were able to add a run off a Nathan Rorick (Dublin) single in the ninth, they would ultimately fall in a final score of 5-3. 

While Bluffton took the loss in game two, they would take advantage of four fielding errors from the Ravens and edge out the visitors in total hits, 10-9. Drew Snipes would have a solid day at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 and scoring twice, while both Wes Toth and Carsen Riddle would each tally a pair of hits in the contest. 

William Nowakowski (Grand Rapids, Ohio / Swanton) would start the day on the hill and would also come away with the loss, following a five inning performance where he would allow five runs of eight hits. Coming in to finish the game was Nathan Waggoner (Brookville), who would throw four scoreless innings and allow just one hit as he recorded one strikeout and one walk. 

The Beavers will be back in action on Wednesday, Mar. 25 when they host the Wilmington Quakers, with first pitch set for 4:15 p.m.

-Beavers-