By: Colton Steiner

BLUFFTON, Ohio - Playing under the lights, the Beavers would travel to Wittenberg to face off against the Tigers in non-conference match on Wednesday night. The Beavers would fall behind early and  Wittenberg would erupt at the plate, knocking off Bluffton 20-3 after seven innings, dropping the Beavers to 7-18 on the season. 

After quick first and second innings, the Tigers would score a pair of the third and add another in the fourth, taking a 3-0 lead heading into the fifth. A sacrifice fly from Brandon North (Hilliard, Ohio / Bradley) and a run from Drew Snipes (Pickerington, Ohio / North) in the top of the inning allowed Bluffton to cut the deficit to one run. The close game would get out of hand as the hosts would erupt for nine runs in the bottom of the fifth, going up 12-2. While the Beavers would add a run off an RBI from Zane Sarcheck (Sunbury, Ohio / Big Walnut) to score Nathan Rorick (Dublin), the Tigers would answer in the bottom of the sixth with another eight runs to take a 20-3 lead.  

The bats would be hot for the Tigers as they finished with a commanding 18-6 advantage in total hits. Drew Johnson (Bucyrus, Ohio / Wynford) would lead Bluffton at the plate, going 2-for-3, with Drew Snipes smacking a hit and scoring once in the contest. Both Zane Sarcheck and Brandon North would each record on RBI in the loss. 

The Beavers struggled on the mound as nine pitchers saw action, allowing a combined 20 earned runs off 18 hits. Nathan Waggoner (Brookville) would start the day on the hill and go three innings, allowing two runs off five hits as he picks up the loss to drop to 0-2 on the season. 

Bluffton will travel back home for a weekend series against the Manchester Spartans, playing a pair of games on Saturday, Apr. 11 starting at noon, before a single game on Sunday, Apr. 12 at 12 p.m.

-Beavers-