Baseball Game Preview: Bluffton Tigers vs. Leo Lions

The Bluffton Tigers will square off against the Leo Lions at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Bluffton comes in on three and Leo on five.

On Wednesday, Bluffton needed a bit of extra time to put away Wabash. They skirted past the Apaches 5-4.

Axton Beste

Hits

04/16/25 vs Wabash	3
04/15/25 vs Manchester	2
04/12/25 vs Taylor	2
04/12/25 @ Northwestern	1
04/11/25 @ Rochester	1
+ 6 more games

Axton Beste was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Beste was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in May of 2024.

Beste wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Aaron Streveler, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-4.

Meanwhile, Leo gave up the first runs on Wednesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They had just enough and edged out Carroll 4-3. The four-run effort marked the Lions' lowest-scoring game of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.

Leo's win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Bluffton, their win bumped their record up to 5-2.

Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Bluffton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. However, it's not like Leo struggles in that department as they've averaged .463. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Bluffton couldn't quite finish off Leo in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 and fell 13-11. Can the Tigers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.