TOPEKA, Kan. (Feb. 25, 2023) - The Buena Vista baseball team was back in Topeka for the second straight week and picked up where it left off by earning a thrilling 3-2 victory over Bethel University in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader. The Royals (1-1) rallied in the nightcap to hold off the Beavers, 5-2.

Sophomore Joel Garcia belted his second home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning to put BVU out in front early, 2-0.  Bethel would cut the deficit in half with an RBI single in the third before pulling even in the seventh on a wild pitch. That's how things stood until the bottom of the ninth when senior Logan Mueller put down a bunt single with a runner at second base, but the throw to first base from the Bethel third baseman was wild, allowing Tegan Bock to come all the way around and score the walk-off victory.

Grant Oseka led off the home half of the ninth with a double to left before being lifted for Bock. That hit was the team's only other extra-base knock of the contest.

Mueller, along with Evan Taylor, led BVU with two hits apiece with Taylor also walking once.

Sophomore Morgan Smith went 6.0 strong innings for the Beavers, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out seven and walking one. After Bradyen Polzein issued two walks and a pair of base hits over 0.2 innings, Calvin Harris would come on in relief to work the final 2.1 innings and striking out four.

Evan Taylor singled home a run in the third inning of game two and added another RBI with a groundout in the fifth to put BVU in front 2-0 midway through. The Royals, however tied things up in the sixth with a pair of RBI singles before adding another run-scoring single in the seventh to grab their first lead of the afternoon at 3-2. A big two-run double in the eighth inning gave Bethel some insurance late. BVU was held to only five hits in the contest and left six runners on base.

Mueller and Taylor again finished with two hits each with Mueller scoring both runs. The Beavers struck out a season-high 10 times in the contest while the Royals did so just four times.

Mason Gehling allowed just two hits over his five scoreless innings of work but did walk four batters while also striking out four. Zack Pleggenkuhle suffered the loss in relief, allowing three runs and four hits over 1.2 innings. Peyton Thomas and Landon Howard combined to work the final 1.1 innings.

Buena Vista is now 4-1 on the year and will look to win the three-game series against the Royals with a win on Sunday. First pitch of the single-game is set for 12 p.m.