After dropping the opener of Friday afternoon's doubleheader, 7-3, the Buena Vista baseball team came back to salvage a split on the day by squeezing out a thrilling 7-6 victory in 10 innings of game two.

BVU couldn't overcome five errors it made in the opener, as the Dutch scored five unearned runs, including a big two-run home run in the eighth inning to ultimately break things open.  

The Beavers cut the deficit to 4-1 in the seventh inning on Parker Truesdell's RBI ground out, but the defense couldn't keep BVU close in the eighth.  A throwing error led to the first run to score before the Dutch got a two-run home run later in the frame to score two more unearned runs and open up a 7-1 advantage.  

Bryce Rheault came through with a two-run single up the middle with two outs in the ninth, but the rally came up short.

Coleman Roberts was 2-for-5 with a double while Porter Sartor also doubled and scored a run.  The Beavers finished with six hits in the contest.

Gage Smart went 6.2 innings and allowed just two earned runs, struck out four and walked just one but suffered the loss.  Jayden Clark came on in relief and allowed three unearned runs on two hits while striking out two in 1.1 innings.

The Beavers let a 6-4 lead get away from them in the nightcap but were able to rally in the 10th when Roberts drove home the eventual game-winning run with an RBI single through the right side with two outs.  He added four more hits in the contest and drove in three of the seven runs.

Central took the early 1-0 lead before Sartor tied things up in the second with a solo home run - his second blast in five IIAC games.  Devin Wagenman then gave BVU its first lead of the day in the third with an RBI single to make it 2-1.  The lead was short lived as the Dutch came right back with three runs in the fourth, including a two-run double, to grab a 4-2 advantage.

Roberts pulled BVU even with RBI singles in both the fifth and sixth innings before an RBI double by Nick Henrichs and a sacrifice fly by Sartor in the seventh put BVU up by two.  Central then drew a bases loaded walk and was hit by a pitch in the bottom half of the frame to tie things at 6-6.  After both teams were sat down in order in the eighth, the Beavers threatened in the ninth.  Wagenman reached on an error and stole second to start the inning but was later stranded at third.

Peyton Renning started the two-out rally in the 10th by getting hit by a pitch and then advanced to second when Rheault singled before scoring on Roberts' single.

Central did threaten in the bottom half, getting a leadoff single and putting the winning run on base with a two-out walk.  Henrichs, who came on and pitched the final 3.1 innings, got a flyout to right  to end the game, as he improves to 2-0 on the year.

Roberts finished with a game-high four hits, including his sixth double of the year.  Sartor had a double and the home run and also knocked in a pair while Wagenman also chimed in with two hits.

Egan Bonde allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits to go along with four strikeouts in his 6.2 innings.  Andrew Bower came on and walked two before Henrichs relieved him and went the rest of the way, allowing just two hits, striking out a pair and walking only one.

Buena Vista improves to 7-11 overall (3-2 IIAC) while the Dutch sit at 10-9 (1-4 IIAC).  The two teams will wrap up the series with the decisive third game on Saturday with first pitch at 12:00pm.