The Beloit College softball team swept Ripon for the second time in just over a week with a pair of wins at home Thursday afternoon. The Buccaneers came out on top of a back-and-forth opener, 7-6, before securing the sweep with an 8-4 victory in the nightcap.

The sun was out for the majority of the afternoon at Strong Stadium making for a good atmosphere to watch a twinbill but made any fly ball a difficult play for the defenses. the gusty winds and sun came in handy for Ripon in the top of the first as the Redhawks used a hit and a couple of Beloit miscues to take an early 2-0 lead. 

The lead was short-lived as Beloit responded in the bottom of the frame. Briana Arteaga registered a one-out single to left and advanced to second on a Ripon error. Kaitlynn Taft followed with a walk and Maddie Moser opened a two-out rally a batter later with an RBI single to center field. Emily Stapay made it back-to-back singles with a base rip up the middle to bring in Taft and knot the game 2-2. 

The Bucs doubled up in the next inning, again with a two-out rally. Bre Noack reached on an infield single with one out and Cora Aubert followed with a bunt single. The pair executed a double steal to move into scoring position. Following an out, Taft brought in both Bucs with a single down the left field line to make it 4-0 Beloit. 

After a scoreless third, Ripon responded with two runs on three hits in the top of the fourth to bring the score back to even. 

Continuing with the theme of two-out rallies, Beloit reclaimed the lead in the next inning. Moser opened the frame with a single to left center and advanced to second on a groundout. With two outs, Moser moved up 60 feet on a wild pitch and came in to score on Amanda Langford's single through the left side. 

The lead changed again in the top of the sixth as the Redhawks used three hits and a Buc miscue to bring in two runs and take a 6-5 advantage but the Bucs had the answer, once again with two outs. 

Arteaga reached on an infield error and moved to second on Taft's sacrifice bunt. After a pop out, Moser tagged a ball to right center that made it all the way to the fence. Arteaga came in to score and Moser cruised into third with a triple to tie the game 6-6. A wild pitch in the next at bat had Moser touching home for the 7-6 lead. 

The Buc defense secured the win sending the Redhawks back to the dugout in order in the top of the seventh. 

Moser and Taft combined to go 5-6 at the plate with three runs scored and four runs batted in to lead Beloit offensively. 

Maddy Pfortmiller picked up the complete game win on the mound. The right-hander allowed three earned runs while striking out eight and issuing just one walk to improve to 9-2 on the season. 

The Bucs jumped out to early 4-0 lead in the first inning of game two. Isabel Johnson led off the game with a walk, advancing to second on a groundout. Taft took advantage of the defensive shift in the next at bat. Ripon, expecting Taft to pull the ball, shifted to the left side of the field leaving the first baseman as the lone defender on the right side of the infield. Rising to the challenge, Taft went to the right side and won the race to first for the infield single to put runners on the corners for Beloit. Taft stole second in the next at bat and as the second baseman dropped the throw from the catcher, Johnson took off for home scoring easily for the first run of the game. Following Stapay's walk, Moser bent a deep fly ball just inside the right field line for her second three-bagger on the day to extend the lead to 3-0. Aubert laid down a well-placed bunt as Moser sped home for the final run of the frame. 

Ripon worked their way back into the game with a pair of runs in the top of the second, a single run in the top of the third, and finally the game-tying run in the top of the fifth. 

The Buc offense got going again in the bottom of the fifth. Stapay kickstarted the bats with a double to centerfield. Aubert followed with a single to center advancing on the throw to put runners on second and third. Alyssa Morris took one for the team with a pinch hit, hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Lanford brought in a run with a single through the left side and Zoe Landolt added a second run in the inning with a sacrifice fly to center. A Redhawk error plated Beloit's seventh run of the contest. 

Beloit added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Taft ledoff with a single to left center and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Stapay brought her in to score on a single to center to make it 8-4. 

Stapay went 3-3 at the dish with two runs scored and a RBI. Taft and Johnson both tallied two hits in the game. 

Aubert picked up the win in the circle striking out three in five innings of work to improve to 4-3 this season.