The Beloit College baseball dropped a doubleheader to Cornell College in Midwest Conference cross-divisional action Saturday in Beloit. The Rams took the opener of the non-conference twinbill 7-4 and the nightcap 14-6.
The Buccaneers took an early lead and held the advantage for the majority of the first game until a three-run seventh allowed the Rams to take over the lead.
Nick Schmidt led off the bottom of the first taking one for the team. The first of Garrison Ferone's three hits in the contest, a single through the right side, had two runners on. Jalen Davis put the pressure on the Rams' defense with a grounder to the shortstop, a throwing error brought Schmidt in to score for the first run of the game.
Ferone showcased his speed in the bottom of the third opening the frame with a leadoff bunt single. He came around to score on Davis' triple in the next at bat. Ethan Conley tagged a fly ball to right field that was deep enough for the speedy Davis to score from third increasing the Bucs' advantage to 3-0.
Cornell plated their first run in the top of the fourth courtesy of a single and double.
Ferone's third hit of the game was an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth that made it 4-1 Beloit.
Three singles and a sacrifice fly for the Rams narrowed the gap to 4-2 in the top of the fifth. Cornell plated three more on three hits in the top of the seventh to claim the lead. The Rams added two more in the ninth for the final.
Beloit threatened with runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh and eighth but were unable to push the runs across.
Ferone led Beloit in the batter's box going 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Davis, Mitch Campbell and Brice Call each notched six hits in the game.
Five Buc hurlers took the mound in the game with Zach Miller suffering the loss.
Beloit responded to an early first inning run for the Rams with three in the bottom of the inning and held the advantage until the fifth.
Ferone drew a one out walk and Davis followed with a double. Conley registered another sac fly to plate the Bucs' first run of game two. Wicker and Bronson Balholm tallied back-to-back singles to bring in two more and make it 3-1 Beloit after the first inning.
A couple of singles and a groundout for Cornell in the second pulled the Rams to within one, 3-2.
Beloit extended the margin back to two on Austin De La Cruz's sacrifice fly to center field as Wicker booked it home.
Cornell posted six runs on six hits in the fifth to reclaim the lead 8-4. The Bucs responded with two runs in the fifth but the Rams added six more in the seventh to take a 14-6 advantage.
More than 20 Bucs saw the field in game two. Balholm led Beloit at the plate going 3-for-3 with two RBI. Wicker and Ferone added two hits apiece.
Beloit's scheduled doubleheader against Grinnell College Sunday has been cancelled due to forecasted inclement weather. The Bucs will host Milwaukee School of Engineering for a single game Wednesday evening at 4 p.m.
