RICHMOND, Ind. — The Earlham College baseball team finished its season series with Bluffton University on Tuesday with a 9-8 loss to the Beavers at McBride Stadium.

Bluffton grabbed an early lead in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference affair with five runs in the first inning off Earlham starter Garrett York (New Castle, IN, New Castle).

Earlham was able to answer with a two-run homer by Ryan Hayes (New Lebanon, OH, Dixie) in the bottom of the first. It was his fifth of the year and 16th of his career. He is now one long ball away from the top spot on Earlham's all-time home run list. Bobby Ebright (1996-97) has 17.

The Beavers (19-14, 10-8) added a run in the top of the third to lead 6-2. Ted Williams (Harper Woods, MI, Grosse Pointe North) had a sacrifice fly in the third to make it 6-3.

After giving up another run in the fourth, Earlham was able to score four times in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 7-7.

Sam Ward (Bay Village, OH, Bay, Marietta College) hit a two-run homer to make it 7-5. Chris Tillery (Carmel, IN, Carmel) got the Quakers closer at 7-6 with a RBI single. Hayes followed with a double that advanced Tillery to third. On the play, the Bluffton left fielder let the ball get by him, which allowed Tillery to score.

Both teams scored their final runs in the seventh. Ward knocked in a run with a single to make it 9-8.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Quakers were able to get a runner to third but they couldn't tie the contest.

Colton Miller (Auburn, IN, DeKalb), who entered the game on the first, left the game with two outs in the seventh. Miller (0-3) got the loss after giving up four runs on four hits with five strikeouts.

Zach Lee (Lynn, IN, Randolph Southern) got the last out of the seventh, while Justin Broach (Centerville, OH, Centerville) and Matt Brankle (Kokomo, IN, Taylor) finished the game with one scoreless inning apiece.

Ward, Hayes and Zach McFarland (Greenfield, IN, Mt. Vernon) led the Quakers with two hits each.

The Quakers (7-26, 3-15) begin a three-game HCAC series at home against Hanover College on Friday. The contest gets underway at 4 p.m.