BELOIT, Wis. - Beloit's baseball team split a doubleheader against University of Chicago Tuesday afternoon, giving the Buccaneers a 2-1 advantage in the season series, after also defeating the Maroons in a single game last week. Beloit won the first game 15-5 in eight innings, before losing the nightcap by a score of 11-7. That puts Beloit squarely atop the Midwest Conference standings with a 10-2 record in league play, which is two and a half games ahead of Chicago, who sits in second place.

The Buccaneers (16-7, 10-2 MWC) took an early lead in the day's first game, scoring in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Brett Kiger. Chicago (13-10, 7-4 MWC) then smacked a two-run homer to left field in the top of the second, but Beloit grabbed the lead right back, scoring on an error and a sac fly in the bottom of that inning. Chicago tied the score at three on an RBI single in the fourth, but Beloit again had an answer, this time in the form of a three-run homer by Matt O'Leary, giving the Buccaneers the lead for good.

After Chicago scored once in the fifth, O'Leary continued his hitting display, crushing his second home run in as many innings over the right field wall for a two-run shot and an 8-4 Buccaneer lead. Jack Alport then delivered a two-run single up the middle in the seventh, which was immediately followed by an RBI double off the bat of O'Leary.

After a Chicago solo homer cut Beloit's lead to seven, Beloit ended the game in the eighth, with their final run coming on a bases loaded walk, drawn by O'Leary. That gave him eight RBI in the contest, which breaks Beloit's single game school record.

Beloit's 15 runs came on 15 hits. led by O'Leary's 4-for-4 performance at the plate, which also saw him score three runs. Kiger and Miles Souza added three hits apiece, while Alport was 2-for-3 at the dish. On the mound, Aiden Phipps (6-0) continued to roll, winning for the sixth time in as many starts this season. He allowed three earned runs on six hits, while striking out two batters in seven innings of work.

The day's second game saw Chicago jump out to an early lead with two runs in the top of the first and two more coming in the third on a home run to left center. Beloit got both of those runs back in the bottom of that frame when Garrison Ferone drove in a pair of runs on a double.

Chicago would extend their lead to 8-2 with a pair of home runs in the fifth, but Beloit rallied with a four-run sixth inning, which included an RBI single by Connor Vogel, and home runs by Kiger and Evan Zenger. Kiger's longball gives him nine on the season, which leads the MWC and breaks Beloit's single season record, while extending his other school record to 22 career homers.

Chicago added three more runs in the seventh to take a five-run lead. Beloit scored once in the bottom of the ninth on a pinch-hit RBI single by Brendan Meyers. The Buccaneers would make things interesting with the potential tying run on the on-deck circle, but a double play would end the game.

Beloit finished the second game with nine hits, coming from eight different players. Vogel was the only Buc to record a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 from the plate. 

Chicago scored their 11 runs on 10 hits, with a pair of players recording three hits. The Maroons also struck out 10 Beloit batters.

The Buccaneers will be in action again on Wednesday when they'll play a single non-conference game at Edgewood College. That game will begin at 5 p.m. at Stampfl Field in Verona, Wis.