RICHMOND, Ind. — The Earlham College baseball team dropped a 7-4 decision on Tuesday to Bluffton University in Randal R. Sadler Stadium.

The Quakers are now 18-14 overall and 10-9 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Bluffton is 18-15 and also 10-9 in the conference, so the two teams are tied for fifth place with Franklin College (19-14, 10-9).

Bluffton grabbed an early lead in the first inning when the Beavers manufactured a run against Earlham start Bryce Rainey with a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.

In the second inning, the Quakers tied the contest at 1-1. Alex Arovits led off the frame with a double and one out later, Josh Parr tripled to tie the game.

The Beavers responded with a pair of runs in the third to go on top 3-1.

Ryan Hayes blasted a long two-run homer in the fourth to once again tie the contest at 3-3. It was the 25th long ball in the career of Earlham's all-time leader.

The score remained the same until the Beavers added two runs in the eighth to lead 5-3.

Williams got the Quakers closer at 5-4 in the bottom of the inning as he knocked in a run on a groundout. The RBI was the 106th for Williams as he became Earlham's all-time leader in that category. Andrew Morrical (2008-11) is now in second with 105.

The Beavers finished the scoring with two runs in the ninth.

Rainey worked seven innings on the mound for the Quakers as he gave up three runs on six hits with four strikeouts.

John Cornett (2-1) took the loss after being charged with both runs in the eighth. Colton Miller ended the game for the Quakers.

Nate Lynch and Thomas Rea led the Quakers with two hits each.

Earlham faces Wilmington College at home on Wednesday. The non-conference affair gets underway at 4 p.m.