The Beloit College softball team opened its Midwest Conference and home slate with a pair of games against Lake Forest College Friday afternoon. The Buccaneers dropped the twinbill 12-1 (five innings) and 8-7.
The Foresters' high-powered offense tallied 13 hits in the first game leading to the shortened game.
Emily Stapay led the Bucs with a pair of hits and a run batted in.
Maddy Pfortmiller suffered the loss on the mound for Beloit allowing four earned runs on seven hits while striking out two and walking one.
The nightcap was a thriller with the Bucs taking an early lead and the Foresters flipping the advantage to their favor before Beloit nearly completed the comeback in the bottom of the seventh.
LFC tallied the first run of the game in the top of the first but a
Stephannie Lopez double to right center plated
Sydney Harbison for the equalizer. The Foresters brought in another run in the top of the second but the Bucs, once again, had the answer.
Maddie Moser drew a one-out walk and scored on
Cora Aubert's double to right center in the next at bat. Sidda Meyers singled to right and Aubert booked it all the way to third on the hit. Meyers then swiped second to put two in scoring position. With two outs,
Briana Arteaga singled to right field to bring in the second run of the frame. Putting the pressure on the defense, Arteaga stole second and Meyers came in on an error by the shortstop on the throw down. Lopez followed with a RBI base knock to center to give Beloit a 5-2 lead.
LFC narrowed the gap in the fourth with a single run and then reclaimed the lead with three runs on four hits in the top of the fifth.
The Foresters added a few insurance runs in the top of the sixth to take an 8-5 lead.
In their final at bats, Beloit made a huge push with Arteaga opening the frame with a leadoff walk. She moved up 60-feet on a wild pitch. Lopez's single to right field put runners on the corners. Stapay chased the Forsters' hurler with another single that plated Arteaga to cut the deficit to 8-6.
Hannah Beran took over on the basepaths for Stapay as
Kaitlynn Taft walked to the plate. Taft battled with the new LFC pitcher drawing a walk to load the bases. After the first out was recorded, Moser registered another quality at bat with a RBI base on balls to pull Beloit to within one.
Riley Conn was tapped for the pinch hit plate appearance driving a ball to shallow right center. The catch was made and Beran tagged up attempting to tie the game but the throw was scooped up by the catcher who tagged Beran as she slid into home for the final out.
Lopez, Stapay and Meyers all tallied three hits in the game as the Bucs posted 12 hits in the contest. Lopez added a pair of RBI.
Aubert suffered the loss on the mound in 4.1 innings of work.
