APPLETON, Wis. - The Beloit College Baseball team took the field today in defense of their 2023 MWC Tournament Title. As the number three seed, they first matched up with the University of Chicago Maroons. During the regular season, the Bucs took 2 of three from UC but after a recent two game skid, needed a confidence boost early. The Bucs got what they needed, defeating the Maroons 11-1 in eight innings. After defeating UC, they moved into the winner's bracket, and earned themselves a date with the tournament hosts and number one seed Lawrence University Vikings. In conference play, the Vikings swept the Bucs. Beloit got their revenge this afternoon, defeating LU 9-6 to secure a spot in the MWC Championship game.
In game one, both starting pitchers found their groove early. However, Chicago's starter Sam Klanot only made it through 1 and two thirds innings.
Matt O'Leary (Clarendon Hills, Ill.) broke open the game with a solo shot to lead off the fourth.
Nolan Tomsyck (Muskego, Wis) singled to third to start a Beloit rally.
Seth Brankey (Salem, Wis.) reached via a walk and
Evan Zenger (Burr Ridge, Ill.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Jack Alport (Arlington Heights, Ill.) drove in Beloit's second run of the game with a single to the short stop.
Miles Souza (Carpinteria, Calif.) drew a bases loaded walk to make it 3-0 and bring
Brett Kiger (Beloit, Wis.) to the plate. Kiger hammered a pitch to left field for his 18th home run of the year, and made it a 7-0 game.
The Maroons plated their first run in the bottom of the fifth after a lead off single and double. In the top of the seventh, Beloit extended their lead to 9-1 with a pair of runs. Tomsyck led off the inning with a double to left center. Singles from Brankey and pinch hitter
Jacopo "JT" Tamburini (Bologna, Italy) loaded the bases for the Bucs. Back to back singles from Alport and Souza scored the pair or runs.
Tommy Murray (Rockton, Ill.) relieved started
Aiden Phipps (Simi Valley, Calif.) in the bottom of the seventh and gave up just one hit, while keeping the Maroons off the scoreboard.
The Buccaneers added two more runs in the top of the eighth, to put the run rule into effect.
Connor Vogel (Palmdale, Calif.) led off the inning with a single down the left field line. Brankey followed up with a ball to left center, after a collision between the UC outfielders, Vogel scored and Brankey arrived safely at third. Zenger singled up the middle to score Brankey and make it an 11-1 game.
Micah Wilk (Martinez, Calif.) came in to work the final inning. After giving off a lead off double, he settled in and got two quick outs. The Maroons but runners of first and second after a HBP, but Wilk struck out the final batter looking to secure the win.
The game one win marks Phipps's 22nd career win, tying a program record.
Beloit moved over to Whiting Field for game two against the Vikings after LU defeated Cornell in the first game at Whiting. Lawrence struck first in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Tomsyck led off the inning with a double to right center and moved to third after a single from Brankey. Zenger drove in Tomsyck and reached on the fielder's choice. Once again, in to pinch hit, Tamburini singled through the right side to load the bases. Souza drew his second bases loaded walk of the day to put the Bucs ahead, 2-1. A wild pitch from Quinn Berglan allowed all runners to move up and scored Zenger.
The Vikings tied the game at three in the top of the sixth. Beloit continued to answer the Vikings ties and in the bottom of the sixth they took the lead for good.
Blake Nelson led off the inning with a single to center.
Brody Bremer came into pinch run for Nelson and quickly moved over to second on a stolen base. Souza hit a fly ball to right that moved Bremer to third. Kiger doubled in Bremer to give Beloit a 4-3 lead.
Harvey Pena (Riverside, Calif.) relieved Beloit starter
Ben Schweit (Simi Valley, CA.) in the top of the seventh. Schweit went six innings, giving up six hits and three walks while striking out three Vikings. Pena shut down LU over the seventh and eighth innings. Alport led off the Buccaneer half of the eighth with a walk and landed on third after Souza singled to left center. Kiger was intentionally walked to load the bases. O'Leary and Vogel both showed extreme patience at the plate, drawing bases loaded walks to make it a 6-3 lead for Beloit. Tomsyck and Brankey hit back to back sacrifice flies to push two more across. Zenger capped off the five run inning for Beloit with a single to right that scored Vogel.
Leading 9-3, Beloit needed three outs to secure a spot in the MWC Championship game for the second straight season. Lawrence made a push at a comeback, launching a three run home run to make things interesting but Pena regained control and earned his fifth save of the season.
The Buccaneers await the winner of Lawrence and University of Chicago in the Championship game. Beloit will play at 12 pm tomorrow. If they win, they secure their second straight MWC Tournament title, if they lose, they will play an if necessary game at 3 pm.
