FOX CROSSING, Wis. - This afternoon the Beloit College Softball team headed north for a MWC doubleheader against the Vikings of Lawrence University. The Buccaneers (5-23, 2-8 MWC) collected 16 hits over the two games but fell in both by just one run, 7-6, 9-8. The Vikings (11-15, 3-5 MWC) used being the home team to their advantage, scoring the winning runs for both games in the home half of the sixth and seventh innings.
Game one:
The Buccaneers struck first in the top of the first inning.
Siddalee Meyers (Orfordville, Wis.) doubled to left center to become the first base runner of the game.
Briana Arteaga (Covina, Calif.) bunted and reached on an error by the pitcher. The error allowed Meyers to score from second. The Vikings responded in the bottom half of the inning by plating three runs. Continuing the back-and-fourth scoring, the Bucs added four runs on four hits in the top of the second.
Angela Donath (Wausau, Wis.) led off the inning with a single through the left side. She moved over to second when
Allison Olson (Sandwich, IL) was hit by a pitch.
Stella Lutes (Riverside, IL) singled down the left field line to score Donath and move Olson to third. A single to left field from
Paloma Reyes (Beloit, Wis.) loaded the bases for
Lylah Murrah (North Pole, AK). Murrah grounded out to the first basemen but scored Olson in the process. Meyers hit her second double of the day, this time to center. Lutes and Reyes came into score to give the Bucs a 5-3 lead. LU got one back in the bottom of the second, 5-4.
The Bucs sixth and final run of the game came in the top of the third.
Rachel Overocker (Tinley Park, IL) led off the inning with a single to center.
Hannah Beran (Calendonia, Ill.) came in to pinch run and moved to second when Donath was hit by a pitch. A double steal put both runners in scoring position for Olson who reached on a fielder's choice that scored Beran. The Vikings added one run in the bottom of the fourth and two in the bottom of the sixth. They held Beloit scoreless over the remaining innings to take game one 7-6.
Game two:
Back to back errors in the top of the first allowed the first two Buccaneer batters to reach safely. Arteaga laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Olson and Meyers to scoring position. The third error of the inning led to Overocker reaching safely and loaded bases. Donath hit an infield single to the short stop. With no play to make, everyone was safe and Olson crossed home for the first run of game two. Murrah hit a bases clearing triple down the right field line. Beloit led 4-0 after the half inning. The Vikings responded by putting two runs on the board in the bottom of the first. Jess Coppe led off the second with an infield single to the shortstop. A sac bunt from Olson moved her to second. Meyers continued her hot day at the plate with an RBI double to left. Arteaga reached on an error by the shortstop. Overocker reached safely on a fielder's choice that resulted in no outs due to another error by the Vikings' infield. With the bases loaded again, Donath walked in a run and Lutes grounded out but got the RBI when Arteaga scored. Midway through the second, the Buccaneers led 7-2. LU scored their third run in the bottom of the second.
Neither team scored again until the Vikings pulled within two, 7-5 in the bottom of the fourth. They tied the game at 7 in the bottom of the fifth. The Bucs responded with one run in the top of the sixth. Meyers led off the inning with another double. She moved up 60 feet on a sacrifice bunt from Arteaga and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field from Overocker. Unable to close it out, LU walked it off in the bottom of the seventh with a two run single to take game two, 9-8.
Meyers finished the day going 4 for 7 with four doubles, three RBIs, four runs, and no strike outs.
The Buccaneers return to the field on Tuesday, April 23rd in Milwaukee, Wis. whe they face the Alverno Inferno for a non conference double header. First pitch for the first game is set for 3 pm.
