More than 24 hours after Beloit's home doubleheader with Lawrence began there was finally an official result. The teams opened the Buccaneers' home portion of the four game series Thursday at 1 p.m. but rain and field conditions forced the umpires to call the game in the middle of the seventh inning. The Vikings returned to Beloit Friday where the Bucs went on to win game one of the doubleheader 7-2 and took the nightcap 5-1.
Beloit held a 7-2 advantage when the first game was halted Thursday batting around in the fourth inning to plate all seven. Bronson Balholm drew a one-out walk to get things going and Tyler Assiff followed with a single to right center. A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position for Matthew Celentano who blasted a double to right field to plate the first two runs and tie the game 2-2. Brice Call drew a walk after a pitching change. Nick Schmidt and Garrison Ferone made it back-to-back-to-back walks to bring in the go-ahead score.
Jalen Davis tagged a double to right field to score two more and James Wicker's grounder to the right side plated one more. Mitch Campbell singled up the middle in his second at bat of the inning to score Davis and give the Bucs a 7-2 advantage.
Connor McCloskey got the start and no decision in game one. AJ Parnell took the mound in the fourth inning and shut down the Viking hitters not allowing a hit through four innings of work to pick up the win. Luke Brennan took over as the game resumed Friday allowing one hit and no runs in two innings of work.
Beloit jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Wicker's single through the right side brought in Davis and Ferone. Another Wicker single in the bottom of the third was mishandled by the right fielder allowing the Bucs' third run of the game to score. Ferone added a two-RBI single to right center in the bottom of the eighth to round out the scoring plays for Beloit.
Ferone, Ethan Conley and Wicker each tallied two hits in the game as Wicker and Ferone drove in four of the team's five runs.
Jacob Sligar scattered five hits over 6.1 innings of work to pick up the win. Zachary Miller was efficient in relief facing just 11 batters in the final 2.2 innings to earn his first save of the season as the pair combined for the shutout.
Beloit will host the Midwest Conference North Division leader University of Chicago Saturday for a twinbill beginning at 1 p.m. The Bucs will wrap up regular season play with their final two MWC games of the season at Chicago Sunday.
Entering the final weekend of games, Chicago sits in first place in the north with an 8-4 record. St. Norbert has completed their conference slate holding second in the division with a record of 10-6. Ripon is currently in third with a 7-5 mark and a four-game series set for Saturday and Sunday against Lawrence. Beloit is still in the race with a 6-6 divisional record and four games left to play.
