By: Colton Steiner
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton Beavers would host the Wilmington Quakers on Memorial Field and would control the game from the very start. Bluffton would only allow three hits in the contest as they would knock off the Quakers 9-2 as they improve to 7-10 on the 2026 campaign.
Right off the bat, the Beavers would get their offense going in the bottom of the first when Brandon North (Hilliard, Ohio / Bradley) would secure a pair of runs for the home team after smoking a double down the left field line as Bluffton would go up 2-0 early. While the Quakers would even up the game in the third inning, the home team would respond with a sacrifice fly from Tyler Forest (Harrison, Ohio / LaSalle) to put the Beavers back up 3-2. Tyler Forest would get another run for the Beavers with a single to center in the forth before Wes Toth (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) would score Forest off a single through the left side, as Bluffton would extend their lead to 6-2 entering the fifth. After a balk that scored Tyler Forest in the sixth, Brandon North would connect on a single up the middle to bring home Ayden Spriggs (North Lewisburg, Ohio / Triad), giving the Beavers a 8-2 lead. Leading off the seventh inning, Torin Long (Defiance) would step up to the plate on a 1-2 count and crack a solo dinger to left to add another run to the home team's score. With Travis Rooney (Thompson, Pa. / Susquehanna) on the mound to close out the contest, Wilmington was unable to make a move on offense as the Beavers would secure a 9-2 win over the Quakers.
At the plate, Bluffton would outhit the visitors 10-3 with Ayden Spriggs tallying a team high three hits while also recording a pair of runs as Drew Snipes (Pickerington, Ohio / North) led the team in runs with three. Brandon North finished 2-for-3 on the date with a team high three RBIs with a pair of walks as Tyler Forest would bat in two runs and score twice. Wes Toth would finish 2-for-4 as Torin Long would secure a pair of runs, and also connect for his first homerun of the season.
Finishing the day with the win and improving to 2-0 on the season was Travis Rooney, who finished the final 3.1 innings, allowing just one hit and allowing zero runs. Rooney would also strikeout an impressive six batters, while also recording zero walks. Matthew Becher (Fishers, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern) would start the day on the hill, going 3.1 innings and allowing just two runs and just one walk, with a pair of strikeouts. Pitching 2.1 innings of relief was AJ Remick (Orient, Ohio / Grove City), who allowed just one hit while fanning three.
The Beavers will savor the win as they get ready to travel south to face off against the Berea Mountaineers on Saturday, Mar. 28 in an HCAC double header starting at 1 p.m.
-Beavers-
