LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Bluffton University softball team exploded for five runs in the first inning of game one and made them hold up as the Beavers took down Transylvania 5-3 for the first win over the Pioneers since 2014, a string of 20 straight losses to the Heartland Conference stalwarts. Bluffton improved to 20-14 overall and 8-8 in the Heartland, while Transy stands 27-7 and 11-3 in the HCAC. It marks the first 20-win season since 2017 and the eight conference victories are the most since 12 in 2015.

Softball can be a funny game and that proved true once again on Sunday. Bluffton bolted out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first, only to see Transylvania respond with three of their own in the home half. Looking like it was going to be a battle of the bats, those eight runs turned out to be the only runs scored in game one!

Walks to Madison Brentlinger (Indian Lake) and Kaylee Grant (Lima/Shawnee) sandwiched around a Julia Tegeder (Hamilton) single loaded the bases for Brooklynn Bakle (Paulding) who singled in Brentlinger. Grace Gronberg (Danville) made it 2-0 when she drew a free pass. She and Bakle scored when Taryn Hampton (Fostoria/Hopewell Louden) reached on a fielder's choice. Ella McCombs (Springfield/Southeastern) pushed the lead to 5-0 when her base hit to center picked up Hampton.

Transy bounced back with three tallies in the bottom of the frame, but Gronberg settled in, allowing just four hits over six scoreless frames on the way to victory number 11 for her. She walked seven and struck out four while limiting the Pioneers to three runs in a complete-game victory.

Six Beavers finished with a hit apiece in the lidlifter.

The home team scored twice in the second inning and three times in the fifth on the way to a 5-0 lead in game two. Bluffton would not give in, scoring two runs in the sixth as Tegeder and Grant plated Brentlinger and Ramirez, but Transy held on for the 5-2 victory and series split.

Grant went 2-of-3 to lead the visitors. Freshman Klary McKay (Salem/Mahoning County Career Tech Center) slipped to 8-5 on the season after allowing five runs on six hits with four walks and a strikeout.

Bluffton will host Rose-Hulman for Senior Day on Saturday, May 2, at 3 p.m. following graduation with a berth in the upcoming Heartland Conference tournament on the line. The Beavers last made the tourney in 2015.

-BEAVERS-