CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team snapped a 19-game skid to Mount St. Joseph on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Bluffton rallied from a 6-0 deficit in the sixth inning of game two, turning it all the way around for a 9-8 victory in eight innings. The Beavers moved to 16-12 overall and 4-6 in the Heartland Conference, while HCAC-heavyweight MSJ stands 19-9 and 6-2 in the HCAC.
Bluffton was trailing 6-0 with two outs in the top of the sixth when 'Big Mo' started to turn the other way. Sophomore Leah Ramirez (Elida) reached on an infield single before walks to senior Julia Tegeder (Hamilton) and Kaylee Grant (Lima/Shawnee) loaded the sacks for freshman Brooklynn Bakle (Paulding) who promptly unloaded them with a two-bagger down the left field line, cutting the deficit in half. Junior Taryn Hampton (Fostoria/Hopewell Louden) greeted MSJ reliever Lesleigh Reimers with an RBI double to left, making it 6-4 heading to the bottom of the inning.
The home team pushed its lead to 8-4 with just one frame to go, but the Beavers would not go away quietly. Bluffton was down to its last strike with two outs in the top of the seventh, trailing by four, when sophomore Madison Brentlinger (Indian Lake) singled to left. Ramirez worked a walk after being down in the count 1-2. Tegeder tripled to right field, making it a two-run game before Grant knotted it at 8-8 with her two-run shot down the left field line.
Sophomore Grace Gronberg (Danville) came on in relief to start the bottom of the seventh and she set MSJ down in order, sending game two to extra innings. With the international tie-breaker in effect, Hampton singled through the left side, putting runners on the corners. Junior Ella McCombs (Springfield/Southeastern) did the job, getting her sacrifice bunt down and scoring Bakle with the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth.
MSJ had runners at first and second following a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning, but Gronberg was more than up to the task. The Lions popped up their sacrifice bunt attempt before Bakle took out the lead runner on Kalya Bain's ground ball to shortstop, keeping the tying run at second. Another ground ball to Bakle sent the Beavers to their first win over MSJ since 2015!
Hampton and Brentlinger both smacked two hits in game two. Bakle drove in three, while Tegeder and Grant both knocked in two runs apiece. Ramirez, Tegeder, Grant and Bakle all scored twice in the 9-8 victory.
Gronberg worked two scoreless frames, allowing no hits and just one walk, while improving to 9-5 on the season.
Bluffton bolted out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first in the lidlifter. Tegeder's RBI single to center plated Brentlinger and Gronberg picked up Ramirez with a sacrifice fly. The visitors managed just one hit over the final six innings as MSJ rolled to a convincing 7-2 victory in game one.
Gronberg worked a complete game, allowing seven runs on eight hits in six innings of work. She walked five and struck out two.
The Beavers will be back in action on Saturday, April 18, when they welcome Hanover for another Heartland Conference doubleheader. Game one is slated for 1 p.m.
-BEAVERS-