WAVERLY, Iowa (Apr. 18, 2026) - The Buena Vista baseball began a pivotal three-game road series at Wartburg College on Saturday afternoon, but the Knights used a big four-run first inning that lifted them to a 5-1 American Rivers Conference over the Beavers.

Wartburg got the scoring going with a solo home run on just the second pitch of the game off junior Ean McDaniel (2-6). Two pitches later McDaniel hit a batter before recording back-to-back strikeouts. The Knights, however, would go on to score three two-out runs after a single and a two-run double down the right field line.

BVU was unable to get much going offensively in the game by being held to one hit and striking out 10 times. The got within 4-1 in the fourth after a lead-off single from sophomore Cooper Sobeck. Following back-to-back strikeouts, Sobeck advanced to second on a wild pitch, to third on a passed ball and then scored on a wild pitch. The Beavers stranded a pair of runners on base in both the fifth and seventh innings.

The Knights tacked on a late insurance run in the sixth inning on a one-out RBI single.

McDaniel pitched five innings and allowed four runs and seven hits while striking out six and walking four. Drew Camman walked three batters over his 2.1 innings and surrendered the final run before freshman Preston Crees came on for the final 0.2 innings and retired the only batter he faced to end the eighth.

Wartburg had eight hits in the game and three went for extra-bases.

Buena Vista dips to 9-23 on the year (5-13 A-R-C). The two teams will wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon starting at 1 p.m.