WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Beloit College baseball team displayed an explosive offense and resilient spirit on Sunday, splitting a non-conference doubleheader against the University of Wisconsin-Superior. The Buccaneers cruised to a commanding 9-2 victory in the afternoon match up after the Yellowjackets mounted a a late-inning comeback to take the opener 5-4.
Game One: UW-Superior 5, Beloit 4
In the first contest, the Buccaneers faced an early 4-0 deficit after a grand slam by the Yellowjackets in the bottom of the first. Despite the early hole, Beloit's pitching staff settled in, with Will Lyng (Helena, MT) and the bullpen holding UW-Superior to just one run over the final six innings.
Beloit began chip away at the lead in the second inning. Parker Krcmar (Waupaca, Wis.) drove in Aiden Wood (Chandler, Ariz.) on a groundout, and Seth Brankey (Salem, Wis.) followed by drawing a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to bring the score to 4-2.
The Buccaneers' defense and pitching kept them within striking distance until the very end. Down 5-2 heading into the final frame, Beloit mounted a furious rally. Josh Beserra (Altadena, Calif.) grounded out to first to score Drew Hanson (Edgerton, Wis.), cutting the lead to two. Krcmar then came through with a clutch RBI single to center, scoring Nolan Tomsyck (Muskego, Wis) to make it 5-4. With the tying run on base, UW-Superior managed to record the final out, escaping with the narrow victory.
Game Two: Beloit 9, UW-Superior 2
The Buccaneers fired on all cylinders in the second game of the day, backed by a stellar performance from starting pitcher Sutton Bassett (Carlsbad, Calif) and a relentless middle-inning assault. Bassett earned his first win of the season, tossing 5.1 innings while striking out five and allowing only four hits.
After two scoreless innings, the Beloit bats came alive in the bottom of the third. Brankey opened the scoring with an RBI single to center field, plating Jack Alport (Arlington Heights, Ill.). Moments later, Tomsyck cleared the bases with a clutch two-run double to right, giving the Bucs a 3-0 lead.
The floodgates opened in the fourth as Beloit tacked on five more runs. The spark plug was Alport, who laced a two-run double to right-center. He was immediately followed by Krcmar, who smoked a two-run triple to left-center. Aiden Wood (Chandler, Ariz.) capped the inning with an RBI groundout, pushing the lead to a dominant 8-0.
Brankey added one final insurance run in the sixth with an RBI single to right field, scoring Krcmar. Alport finished the game 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Krcmar and Brankey combined for four RBIs in the rout.
The Buccaneers are back in action tomorrow morning against University of Minnesota Morris. First pitch from Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven is set for 10 am ET / 9 am CT.
