GRANVILLE, Ohio - Playing in an elimination game in the double elimination NCAA Division-III Regional Tournament Saturday afternoon, Beloit lost to Spalding University 4-3 in 12 innings in what was an emotional rollercoaster of a game with spectacular play after spectacular play made by both teams. That ends the Buccaneers' 2023 campaign, which saw them set a school record for single season victories (31) and a Midwest Conference record for conference wins in a season (20).

Spalding (35-11) took an early lead, scoring a run in each of the first two innings on a pair of RBI singles. Beloit (31-14) would then tie the score with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third on RBI singles by Connor Vogel and Evan Zenger. Spalding then took the lead with an RBI single in the sixth, before the Bucs tied things up again in the seventh when Garrison Ferone hit one in the gap for a double, scoring Jack Alport from second base.

The Buccaneers had a golden opportunity to seize control of the game in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with two outs with MWC Player of the Year Matt O'Leary coming to the plate. He hit the ball on the screws, but Spalding's centerfielder laid out for a diving catch to end the inning, saving at least three runs and sending the game to the ninth still tied at three.

After neither team scored in the ninth, the game went to extra innings, where Spalding put two runners on in the 10th with two outs. They would then hit a line drive into the gap, but it was Beloit's turn to make a web gem, and centerfielder A.J. Fitzpatrick obliged, making a diving catch after entering the game as a defensive replacement earlier in that inning. In the bottom of the 11th, Beloit again loaded the bases with two outs, but flew out to center to end the inning.

Spalding took advantage of their new life in the top of the 12th, leading off the inning with a double, before driving that runner in with a single to right just one batter later. Trailing by one in the bottom of the 12th, Beloit had yet another opportunity to earn the win, as they would put two more runners on base, but a groundout to shortstop would end the game and the Buccaneers' season.

Beloit left 16 runners on base in the game, while recording 12 hits. Offensively, they were led by Vogel's three hits. Zenger and Deven Irwin added two hits apiece. Harvey Pena had a performance for the ages on the mound, coming on in relief in the third inning and allowing just one run on eight hts in 7.2 innings of work, while throwing 106 pitches. Alport (2-1) also pitched very well in relief, allowing his first earned run of the season in 13.1 innings pitched this year.

In addition to their single season school record 31 wins, Beloit also finished the year with records for runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, extra base hits, total bases, RBI, and fielding percentage. The Bucs surpassed many people's expectations in 2023, after being picked to finish sixth in the MWC Preseason Coaches Poll. They will hope to build on this success in 2024 and beyond.