Senior pitcher
Maddy Pfortmiller pitched a gem in Beloit's first game of the day Thursday leading to a 5-3 Buccaneer win over Roger Williams University in nine innings. The Bucs dropped their second game of the day 11-4 to North Park for the split.
Pfortmiller went the distance to register the complete game striking out eight without issuing a walk and allowing just one earned run in nine innings of work.
Kaitlynn Taft notched an infield single to bring in the first run of the game in the top of the fourth. RWU responded with a single run in the sixth to knot the game 1-1. That would be the score at the end of regulation.
The Spring Games implements the international tie breaker rule on any game over seven innings so the Bucs' sent
Briana Arteaga out to second base to open the eighth.
Isabel Johnson singled on a bunt to open the frame and move Arteaga to third.
Sydney Harbison followed with a RBI single to left to give Beloit a 1-0 lead.
The Hawks came back in their half of the inning with a leadoff double to tie the game. However, Sidda Meyers read the ball well, got to it quickly and fired into
Stephannie Lopez near second base for the cut as the batter rounded second. Lopez relayed dropping a perfect throw on Harbison at third for the tag to keep the Hawks from legging out a leadoff triple. The next batter doubled but Pfortmiller got the next batter on a groundout. A bloop shot into shallow right field nearly gave RWU the win but Meyers had other plans. Laying out towards the infield, Meyers extended and made a phenomenal catch to send the game into the ninth.
Maddie Moser started the inning on second as part of the international tie breaker. Taft singled to third to put runners on the corners. Meyers bunted to the pitcher as Moser came pretty far up the third base line. Her lead forced the defense to pay attention to her allowing Meyers to reach first safely. With no coverage at third, Moser was also able to retreat to leave the bases loaded.
Kaitlyn Ramdath's one-out single that dropped just inside the right field line brought in the first run of the frame.
Kit Kronberger pulled the ball toward first base to register an RBI on a groundout. A passed ball had Meyers touching home to give Beloit a 5-2 advantage.
The first Hawk batter reached on a miscue but Pfortmiller got out of the inning with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout.
Meyers was 3-for-5 in the game with a run scored and the game-saving diving catch in right field. Taft, Johnson and Harbison all had two hits each.
The Bucs followed up the long first game with a meeting against in-region foe North Park.
The Vikings struck first with a single run in the top of the third. Beloit responded in their half of the frame on a fielder's choice that had Arteaga scoring during a rundown.
A NPU homer in the fourth made it 3-1 before the Vikings added two more in the fifth. A big sixth inning had five NPU runs cross the plate to put the game out of reach.
Taft registered a pair of RBI in the game to lead the Buc offense.
Cora Aubert suffered the loss on the mound for Beloit as
Helena Harrison and Kronberger also saw action in the circle.
The Bucs wrap up their Florida trip with a pair of games Friday before returning to Beloit Saturday.
