Port Charlotte, Fla. – The Bluffton University baseball team traveled to Port Charlotte, Fla. On March 8th for a contest against Lebanon Valley College. Despite leading for eight innings, the Beavers dropped a tough 7-6 decision to the Dutchman. The Beavers fell to 1-4 on the season while Lebanon Valley improved to 2-4.
Bluffton scored first in the second when Jeff Strayer (Columbus/Thomas Worthington) stole home and a Brandon Wilson (Casstown/Miami East) sac fly plated Grant Hovest (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) for a 2-0 lead. The Beavers made it 4-0 when a Strayer double saw Jack Towell (Batavia/West Clermont) cross the dish and then Strayer scored on a wild pitch. The Dutchman found the plate in the bottom of the fourth when two scores made it 4-2. Jake Baumgartner (Toledo/Start) answered back with a bomb over the left field fence to put Bluffton up 5-2. A Lebanon Valley homer brought the Dutchmen within one (5-4), and a rough defensive drought for the Beavers allowed Lebanon Valley two runs and the 7-6 victory in the bottom of the eighth.
Eddie Budinski (Louisville) started on the mound for the Beavers, tallying five strikeouts in six innings of work. Jaden Jaques (New Palestine, IN) sent one Dutchman back to the dugout in 1.2 innings of relief work. Picking up the loss for the game was Hovest (0-1) in his 0.1 innings of closing work. Hovest was the offensive fire, going 3-for-4. Hitting hot for the Beavers too was Nick Diana (Batavia/West Clermont), going 2-for-3.
The Beavers will be back in action tomorrow, March 9th, when they face Alvernia for day four of the Gene Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. First pitch is scheduled for 12pm. Go Beavers!