The Beloit College softball team opened the final day of play in The Spring Games in the Clermont, Florida area with an exciting win 1-0 over Kalamazoo Friday morning. The Buccaneers wrapped up the trip with a 9-4 loss to William Paterson and a 16-0, five-inning, loss to Curry College.
The first game was a pitchers' duel with just four combined hits and just five runners left on base in the contest. Senior hurler
Maddy Pfortmiller gave up just one hit in the game, to the first batter of the contest. Five of the next six innings, Pfortmiller and Bucs' defense sat the Hornet bats down in order.
It all came down to the bottom of the seventh.
Briana Arteaga opened the frame with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Sidda Meyers.
Riley Conn also singled to put runners on the corners. After a stolen base and a walk,
Sydney Harbison stepped to the plate with bases loaded and one out. The freshman tagged a ball to center field that was deep enough for Arteaga to safely tag up on the catch for the walkoff win.
Pfortmiller's one-hit shutout included three strikeouts as she improves to 3-2 on the season with the complete game win.
The Bucs put together a big two-out rally in the third inning in the second game of the day but were unable to pull out the win against William Paterson.
In the third,
Kaitlynn Taft sparked the offense with a one-out single to center. After the second out of the inning,
Stephannie Lopez doubled to left center to plate Beloit's first run of the game.
Kit Kronberger followed with a double of her own to score Lopez. After a walk,
Isabel Johnson blasted a triple to left center to give Beloit a 4-2 lead in the game.
WPU responded with a big fifth inning that saw six runs cross the plate to take the 9-4 lead that would hold for the final.
Taft was 2-for-4 in the game to lead the Buc offense.
Cora Aubert suffered the loss on the mound in relief for Beloit.
Another big fifth in the Bucs' third game of the day ended the contest early via the run-rule. Curry College was able to push 10 runs across that inning leading to the final.
Four Bucs tallied hits in the game including Meyers, Lopez,
Emily Stapay and Harbison. Aubert registered the start and took the loss in the circle for the Bucs after 3.1 innings of work.
