The Beloit College softball team bounced back from a loss to Defiance Monday morning with a thrilling win over Smith College in the afternoon.
Defiance's big bats were tough to keep under control as they plated runs in four innings leading to a 10-1 six inning loss for the Buccaneers.
Beloit's sole run of the contest came on a sacrifice bunt to third.
Briana Arteaga laid down the bunt and
Maddie Moser came off of third, paused and forced the defense to make a decision. They attempted to hold Moser and get the out but once the ball was in the air from the third baseman, Moser took off sliding safely into home.
The Bucs tallied six hits in the game led by
Kaitlynn Taft's 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
Kit Kronberger suffered her first loss on the mound this season in the contest.
Game two was a thriller, a back-and-forth game that ended with a comeback, seventh inning win for the Bucs.
Beloit got on the board first as Isabel Johnon led off the frame taking one for the team and then stealing second.
Emily Stapay followed with a shot down the left field line that allowed Johnson to score and give the Bucs a 1-0 lead.
Smith responded in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs to claim the lead 2-1.
The Bucs came right back to reclaim the advantage in the top of the next frame.
Riley Conn tagged a one-out single to left and was replaced on the base paths by
Ella Diers who swiped second. Johnson singled to the right side and stole two to put two runners in scoring position. Stapay tagged a ball to right field that had Diers scoring easily to knot the game 2-2.
Smith used a pair of hits and capitalized on a Buc miscue to plate two more in the bottom of the fifth and the Smith defense held in the top of the sixth to send the game into the seventh inning with Beloit trailing 4-2.
Johnson opened the top of the inning with a single through the left side. Stapay followed with the Bucs' first homer of the season to tie it up 4-4.
Cora Aubert came up big with a pinch hit single down the right field line and stole second. A dropped third strike in the next at bat had Aubert safely moving up to third.
Moser drew a walk and Taft continued to have a day at the plate with a bouncer up the middle for an RBI single to make it 5-4.
The pressure was on in the bottom of the seventh after a walk and a double to straight center. The next ball was a high fly ball to left field. Johnson camped under the ball, made the catch and fired a dazzling throw toward the plate.
Sydney Harbison hung in there scooping the throw and putting down the tag for a double play. The runner at second advanced to third on the play with two outs. In the next at bat, the Smith batter hit a bouncer on infield to Moser at shortstop. She fielded and had to fire quickly. A low throw was dug out by Stapay on a good stretch at first to seal the win for Beloit.
Maddy Pfortmiller pitched a gem scattering five hits and allowing a pair of earned runs while striking out seven in the complete game win.
Stapay was 4-for-4 in the game with the homerun blast. Taft was 3-for-4 at the plate in game two to continue a stellar day in the batter's box going 5-for-7.
