Ft. Myers, Florida – The Bluffton University baseball team opened day two of the Gene Classic with an 8-5 victory over Augustana but dropped a 16-12 decision to Plymouth State in game two. The Beavers move to 1-3 on the season while Augustana fell to 6-3 and Plymouth State improved to 3-5.
The Beavers started off hot against the Vikings as a Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) triple scored Kenny Schneider (Sunbury/Big Walnut) and a Garrett O'Reilly (Galena/Orange) base hit plated Baumgartner. The Vikings crossed the dish once in the first and fifth innings to tie it up at 2-2. Baumgartner touched home in the top of the sixth to give the Beavers a 3-2 lead. The Bluffton offense exploded in the top of the ninth when a Schneider single plated Cale Sherbourne (Johnstown/Big Walnut) and O'Reilly blasted a grand slam over the center field fence to secure the 8-5 Beaver victory.
Starting on the mound for Bluffton was O'Reilly, tallying two strikeouts in six innings of work. Picking up his first win was freshman, Wyatt Groves (Marengo/Highland), sending three batters back to the dugout in three innings of relief pitching. Baumgartner was a threat at the plate going a perfect 3-for-3, with a double and one RBI. O'Reilly picked up five runs for the victors, hitting 2-for-5 with his grand slam.
In game two against the Panthers of Plymouth State, Bluffton struck first when a failed pickoff attempt allowed Schneider to cross the dish. Eleven runs over the next six innings gave the Beavers a comfortable 12-3 lead over the Panthers. Bluffton's pitching staff saw some trouble when Plymouth State attacked in the eighth, scoring nine runs, to tie the game up 12-12. Three more runs for the Panthers in the ninth would secure their 15-13, comeback victory over the Beavers.
Baumgartner was the offensive fire again, going 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Grant Hovest (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) and Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont) both hit 2-for-5 with four and two RBI, respectively. Five pitchers got action on the mound today. Jacob Boelkens (Millbury/Lake) started for the home team on the scoreboard, throwing 5.1 innings with six strikeouts. Seth Altman (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson), Jake Shaver (New London), Seth Evans (Ada/OSU-Lima), and Spencer Garrison (West Salem/Northwestern) all took a turn on the hill, knocking down one apiece. Evans took the loss and dropped to 0-1 on the season.
The Beavers will be back in action tomorrow, March 8th, as they head to Port Charlotte, Florida for a 10am game against Lebanon Valley. A split-squad match with the Flying Dutchmen will follow the Varsity game at 1pm. Go Beavers!