TOPEKA, Kan. (Feb. 18, 2024) - The Buena Vista baseball team concluded its season-opening series against Hamline University on Sunday by earning a doubleheader split against the Pipers. Hamline rallied in the opener to edge BVU, 8-7, before the Beavers started fast in the nightcap and rolled to a 15-3 victory in seven innings.

Buena Vista built a 6-0 lead in the opener going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Drew Taylor got the scoring started in the third by belting a 2-run HR for his first long ball of the season. The Beavers added three more  runs in the fifth, capped by an RBI double from Calvin Harris, before adding another run in the sixth on a passed ball.

The Pipers chipped away at that lead starting in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run HR before rolling off four more runs in the seventh, including a three-run double, to tie things at 6-6.  They then took an 8-6 lead in the seventh and forced the Beavers to have to rally late. BVU made things interesting in the ninth after Harris tripled home a run with two outs to make it 8-7, and then back-to-back walks loaded the bases, but the Pipers worked out of the jam by getting a fielder's choice to second for the final out.

Both teams ended with 11 hits in the contest, but the Beavers had eight that went for extra-bases compared to only three for Hamline.

Harris, who was making his season debut, finished 3-for-5 with a double, two triples, and a pair of RBI. Jordan Mathewson added a double, triple and scored one run. Junior Evan Taylor had two hits, including a double while Tegan Bock was 2-for-4 with a double and scored twice.

Mark Eddie, who sat out most of last year due to injury made his return to the mound for BVU, and pitched six innings, allowing just the two-run homer and five hits, while striking out a career-high nine and walking none. Harris relieved Eddie to start the seventh and was tagged with the loss after surrendering six earned runs on six hits and three walks over two innings. 

Buena Vista bounced back from the tough loss in a big way and wasted little time in doing so with two runs in the first. Drew Taylor doubled home Mathewson, who singled to start the game. Taylor later scored on a double play ground out to make it 2-0.

Mathewson, who finished the weekend with six hits, drove home two on a triple in the second to make it 4-0 before scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly from Drew Taylor that made it 5-0. BVU added four runs in the fourth, including a two-run single by Evan Taylor, and plated three more in the fifth. During that inning, the Beavers had triples from Zack Beekman, Zach Pleggenkuhle and Brandon Jenkins.

BVU went up 15-0 in the seventh before the Pipers got on the board with all three of their runs in the bottom half.

Pleggenkuhle and Jenkins each set career-highs with 4-for-4 performances with four runs scored. Jenkins, who also had three RBI, tripled twice in the game and matched Mathewson with six hits in the series. Mathewson, meanwhile, was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, two RBI and two runs scored. He finished the series with six hits, eight runs scored and also walked four times.

Drew Taylor tied Jenkins with a game-high three RBI in the contest and finished the series with a team-high seven.

Fifth-year Mason Gehling got the start on the mound and had one of the best outings of his career. He pitched five hitless innings and struck out seven while walking none. After he retired the first batter of the game, he hit the next two before retiring the final 14 batters he faced.

Freshman Ean McDaniel made his collegiate debut and pitched a perfect sixth inning including his first career strikeout. Brayden Polzien pitched the seventh and allowed all three runs and all three of Hamline's hits in the contest. He walked two and struck out one.

Buena Vista is now 2-1 on the year and is currently scheduled to return to Topeka, Kan., for a three-game series against Bethel University on Feb. 24-25. First pitch of Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 12 p.m.