LINCOLN, Neb. (Feb. 15, 2026) - The Buena Vista baseball team clobbered seven home runs, including a grand slam by sophomore Brandon Jenkins during an 11-run seventh inning that rallied the Beavers to a thrilling 17-11 victory over Hamline in the opening game of Sunday's doubleheader. The Pipers, however, bounced back in the finale to outscore BVU 9-1 over the final five innings and hang on for an 11-9 win and take 2-of-3 in the series.

In the opener, the Beavers broke a scoreless game in a big way by belting back-to-back-to-back home runs to plate their first runs of the season and take a 3-0 lead. Sophomore transfer Dylan Johnson got the parade going before fellow sophomores Connor Duong and Brandon Jenkins each followed with solo blasts of their own. It was the first collegiate home run for Duong.

Hamline chipped away at the deficit and scored fives times in its half of the fourth to go in front for the first time at 5-3.  Duong then got one of those runs back in the bottom half with his second solo home run in as many at-bats to make it a one-run game. A six-run sixth for the Pipers appeared to put them in control at 11-4. That lead quickly dwindled down in the bottom of the inning when sophomore Cooper Sobeck launched the Beavers' fifth home run of the game followed later in the inning with an RBI-double from Duong that got them back to 11-6.

It remained a five-run cushion for Hamline until the bottom of the inning when BVU's offense really caught fire. Johnson got the rally started when connected for his second home run of the game to make it 11-7. Sophomore Teagen Kasel added an RBI single while sophomore Jack Schmaltz and junior Jake Eddie both lined two-run doubles that gave the team the lead back at 12-11. Duong was later hit by a pitch that scored a run before Jenkins stepped to the plate and brought everyone home with his second long ball of the day and his first career grand slam.



Johnson, Duong and Jenkins all finished with three hits in the game with Duong driving in four and Jenkins leading all players with five. Johnson and Duong also scored four times each with Jenkins crossing three times. BVU finished with 16 hits in the game and 12 for extra bases. 

Hamline had 11 hits in the game but only three went for extra bases. The other sophomore Dylan Johnson on the BVU roster got the start on the mound and pitched four innings, allowing five runs (three earned) and seven hits while striking out three and walking three. Three others combined to pitch the final five innings of relief, including senior lefthander Logan Lape-Brinkman who toss 2.1 innings to earn the win. He was charged with three runs and two hits but struck out three.

The offensive firepower carried over into the early part of game two for Buena Vista as it jumped out to an 8-2 lead thru four innings after scoring seven times in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Teagen Kasel capped the scoring in the inning for the Beavers with a two-run double to the gap in left center. Duong continued his torrid day at the plate by driving in two runs with a single to center earlier in the inning.

Hamline used the late-game rally in this contest by scoring nine straight runs, including four in the sixth and chalking up three big insurance runs in the eighth to build the 11-8 cushion. BVU tried to rally one final time in the bottom of the ninth and got an RBI single up the middle from sophomore Kaden Struck that made it a two-run game. Later in the inning, the team had the bases loaded with two outs and Duong at the plate but he popped out to first base to end the game.

Kasel and Struck both had three hits and two RBI in the game to help lead the attack. Eddie added two hits and a pair of runs scored from the lead-off spot while Duong and Jenkins chipped in with two more hits apiece. BVU finished with 14 base knocks overall.

Only three of Hamline's 12 hits went for extra-bases but they did have three sacrifice flies in the game.

Drew Camman got the start on the mound for the Beavers and battled through five innings but earned the no-decision. He allowed four runs and five hits while walking two and striking out two. He also hit a pair of batters. Five other pitchers followed and combined to work the final four innings. 

Buena Vista is 1-2 on the year and is scheduled to travel to Shawnee, Kan., next weekend for a three-game series against Bethany Lutheran College. The two teams last met during last season's NCAA Regional Tournament with BVU winning 11-9. First pitch of this year's regular season series is at 12 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20. The doubleheader is schedule for Friday and the single-game taking place on Sunday at 12 p.m.