APPLETON, WIs. - This afternoon the Beloit College Baseball team wrapped up their previously suspended game with the Vikings before playing one more to wrap up the season series. The Buccanners (19-13, 12-9 MWC) trailed the Vikings (24-8, 15-2 MWC) 5-2 in the top of the fourth when the game that was started on April 16th was halted due to rain.
When the game resumed this afternoon, the Vikings added a run in the top of the sixth to make it a 6-2 game. In the bottom of the fifth,
Jack Alport (Arlington Heights, Ill.) led off with a walk and scored when
Matt O'Leary (Clarendon Hills, Ill.) smacked a ball over the left center fence.
Connor Vogel (Palmdale, Calif.) restarted the rally with a single and moved to second after an error. He would move over to third after
Evan Zenger (Burr Ridge, Ill.)double to center but both runners were left stranded.
Lawrence pushed their lead to four, 8-4 in the top of the sixth and added their ninth and final run in the top of the seventh. LU shut down the Bucs and took a 9-4 lead in game one.
Caleb Lasher (Albuquerque, N.M.) pitched eight innings for the Bucs, striking out a career-high 11 batters while walking just one.
Joshua Stern (Malibu, Calif.) closed out the game, pitching the final three outs.
In game two, Alport jump started the Bucs offense with a single through the left side. He stole second and advanced to third after a bad throw down from the catcher.
Brett Kiger (Beloit, Wis.) gave Beloit a quick 2-0 lead when he launched his league-leading 14th home run. The Bucs held on to a 2-0 lead until the Vikings cut it in half in the bottom of the second. After two quick outs in the Beloit offensive half of the third,
Seth Brankey (Salem, Wis.) hit the first of three straight singles. He singled to left and moved up to second after Alport singled to third base.
Miles Souza (Carpinteria, Calif.) singled through the right side, scoring Brankey and advancing Alport to third. Alport and Souza would be stranded after O'Leary flew out in foul territory to end the inning. The fourth and final Beloit run crossed the plate in the top of the sixth. Zenger led off with a single to the pitcher.
Blake Nelson followed with a single of his own, this time to right field and pushed Zenger to second. Brankey moved both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Alport flew out deep enough to center to score Zenger and collect another RBI.
LU took the lead with a four run seventh and added another insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.
Three pitchers took the mound for Beloit in game two,
Micah Wilk,
Eamon Burke and
Harvey Pena. Wilk got the ball to start, working two innings. Burke took the bulk, pitching 4.1 innings and striking out seven. Pena closed out the game over the final 1.2 innings. Pena struck out four but issued two walks.
The Buccaneers head to Monmouth, Ill. for their final regular season road trip this weekend. First pitch for game one against the Fighting Scots is set for 12 pm on Saturday, April 27th.
