The Beloit College softball team was swept by Grinnell College in a road doubleheader Sunday afternoon. The Buccaneers dropped the opener 6-4 and fell in the nightcap 10-1 in a shortened five inning affair.
The Bucs scored in four consecutive innings in game one but a pair of three-run frames for the Pioneers led to the 6-4 final.
Kaitlynn Taft laid down a sneaky bunt for a single to lead off the top of the third. Stephannie Lopez followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Taft into scoring position. The Bucs had runners on the corners after Dani Strejc singled to right field. Strejc swiped second and then with two outs Madi Christine put the pressure on the defense allowing Taft to score for the 1-0 lead.
Grinnell came back with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. The Bucs cut the margin to one in the fourth after Alyssa Boltik walked, advanced on a passed ball and came around to score on Taft's single up the middle.
Boltik sat the Pioneers down in order to bring the Buc bats back up. With one out, Callie Dutton singled up the middle. Christine singled on a bunt and a poor throw allowed Dutton to advance to third. A single through the right side off the bat of Emily Stapay plated Dutton to tie the game 3-3.
Grinnell rallied with two outs to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Taft sparked another scoring inning for Beloit in the top of the sixth with a single to right center. Strejc's single up the middle followed by Dutton's fielder's choice had Bucs on the corners. Dutton took off for second successfully drawing a throw and Taft took off for home touching the plate safely on the double steal to make it 6-4.
Beloit threatened in the top of the seventh but could not push a run across.
Taft led the Bucs in the batter's box going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Strejc was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate.
Boltik struck out two in the complete game on the mound suffering the loss.
Grinnell plated six runs in the first inning and added two in the second to put the second game of the twinbill out of reach. Alyssa Morris suffered the loss on the mound in game two in two innings of work.
Lopez and Strejc each went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Beloit offense.
The Bucs will have the week to rest up for another big weekend of Midwest Conference action. Beloit will host Knox College for a doubleheader Saturday, April 13 at 1 p.m. and Illinois College Sunday, April 14 at 12 p.m.
