By: Colton Steiiner

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton Beavers would host the Ohio Northern Polar Bears on Memorial Field in a game where the visiting Polar Bears offense would prove too much for the Beavers, as ONU would walk away with a 8-2 victory. With the non-conference loss, Bluffton falls to a record of 7-17 overall, while Ohio Northern improves to 16-7. 

After a Polar Bear error allowed the Beavers to bring one home in the first, an RI single for Drew Johnson (Bucyrus, Ohio / Wynford) allowed Bluffton to go up 2-0 going into the third. Ohio Northern would scrape back into the contest, scoring one run in each of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings as they would jump ahead to a 4-2 lead. The visitors would chalk on three more in the seventh, extending their lead to 7-2 heading into the eighth frame. The Beaver offense couldn't get things going, and following another run for the Polar Bears in the ninth, they would be unable to bring home any runs in their final at bat, falling in a final score of 8-2. 

Ohio Northern would get the most out of the bats, outhitting Bluffton 12-6, with Drew Johnson leading the Beavers going 2-for-4 at the late with one RBI. Liam George (Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Bradley), Tyler Forest (Harrison, Ohio / LaSalle), Jake McCoy (Milford), and Zane Sarcheck (Sunbury, Ohio / Big Walnut) would all tally one hit in the contest.

Starting the contest and pitching six frames was Jack Hardesty (Akron, Ohio / Hoban), who falls to 0-1 on the season after allowing three runs off six hits, recording a pair of strikeouts. Jayce Emmitt (Columbus, Ind. / Columbus North) would throw 1.1 innings of relief, allowing no runs and giving up just two hits, while William Nowakowski (Grand Rapids, Ohio / Swanton) would fan a pair of batters in one inning of action. 

The Beavers will hit the road and head to Wittenberg on Wednesday, Apr. 8, with first pitch set for 6 p.m.

-Beavers-