ANDERSON, Ind. - The Bluffton University softball team dropped a pair of Heartland Conference contests at Anderson University on a warm Thursday, April 24, 2025. Bluffton fell to 12-22 overall and 2-12 in the conference, while Anderson improved to 10-18 and 6-6 in the HCAC.

Game one was a scoreless stalemate until the bottom of the fifth when a two-run homer put the Ravens up 2-0. Bluffton cut the deficit in half when freshman Grace Gronberg (Danville) singled home Mia McCartney (North Baltimore) an inning later.

The Beavers knotted it up in the seventh when sophomore Taryn Hampton (Fostoria/Hopewell Louden) doubled and freshman Reagen O'Brien (Bellbrook) picked her up with a single to center. Gronberg limited the Ravens to a two-out base hit in the bottom of the inning, sending the lidlifter to extras.

McCartney singled home Ashley Kloeker (Troy) in the eighth, but a double play and two Anderson tallies propelled the home team to a 4-3 victory in game one.

Gronberg (5-11) had another stellar outing, limiting the Ravens to four runs, just two earned, in 7.2 innings. She struck out six and scattered seven hits while walking just one batter.

Hampton, McCartney and O'Brien all smacked two hits in the opener.

Game two lacked the pomp and circumstance of its predecessor as the Ravens banged out four runs in the first inning, three in the second and four more in the third on the way to an 11-0 mercy-rule victory.

O'Brien pounded three of Bluffton seven hits, going 3-of-3 at the dish.

Senior Hayley Lewis (Kettering/Fairmont) fell to 5-7 after allowing six runs on six hits in 1.2 innings of work. She struck out two and walked one. Gronberg tossed a scoreless fourth inning to help get the Beavers to the finish line.

Bluffton will hit the road for its third Heartland Conference series in five days when the Beavers travel to Earlham College on Saturday, April 26. Game one is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Richmond, Ind.

-BEAVERS-