DAVENPORT, FL.- The Beloit College Baseball team wrapped up the 2024 RussMatt Invitational this afternoon with a match up against the North Park University Vikings. The Buccaneers (7-4, 0-0 MWC) fell by the final score of 6-12. The Vikings (9-6) out hit the Bucs 19-13 and the Bucs left 8 runners stranded. Jack Alport (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and Brett Kiger (Beloit, Wis.) each tallied three hits in the loss with Alport bringing in three of the Bucs' six runs. 

The Vikings jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first, figuring out starting pitcher Ben Schweit (Simi Valley, CA.) right away. The Bucs' answered in the top of the second by bringing in three runs. With one out, Miles Souza (Carpinteria, Calif.) singled to right but was cut down on a fielder's choice when Elijah Love (Madison, Wis.) hit a grounder to the third basemen. Nolan Tomsyck (Muskego, Wis) came in to pinch hit and singled to left. Both Love and Tomsyck advanced on a wild pitch. Elliott Simpson (Elkhorn, NE.) walked to load the bases for Alport. Alport hit a bases clearing double to center, cutting the Vikings' lead to just one. Both teams tacked on another run in their next offensive innings. In the top of the third, Kiger hit a solo shot to left, bringing the score to 5-4 in favor of NPU. 

By the top of the sixth, NPU had pushed the lead to three, 7-4. Kiger led off the Bucs' half of the inning with a triple to left and came home on a Evan Zenger (Burr Ridge, Ill.) sacrifice fly to right field. Their final run of the game came in the top of the seventh when Zenger again hit a sac fly to score Connor Vogel (Palmdale, Calif.). 

Beloit ends their time in Florida with a record of 6-3. They head back north and prepare to start their MWC regular season and tournament title defense. They will host Cornell College on Saturday, March 23rd. First pitch at ABC Supply Stadium is set for 12 pm with game two starting around 2:30 pm.