GALESBURG, Ill. – The Beloit College Buccaneers showcased both grit and explosive offensive power this afternon, sweeping a doubleheader against the Knox College Prairie Fire. After pulling out a tense 3-2 victory in the matinee, the Buccaneers (12-12, 5-3 MWC) unleashed a 16-run barrage in the nightcap.
Game 1: Beloit 3, Knox 2
The opening game was a tightly contested affair characterized by disciplined pitching and timely hitting. Beloit struck first in the top of the second inning when Jackson O'Brien (Severna Park, MD) drove in Parker Krcmar (Waupaca, Wis.) with an RBI groundout after Krcmar had reached on an error and swiped third base.
After the Prairie Fire (4-21, 2-5 MWC) tied the game in the third, Blake Nelson (Monument, CO.) provided the highlight of the afternoon. In the top of the fourth, Nelson crushed a solo home run to left field, regaining a 2-1 lead for the Bucs.
Knox managed to even the score again in the sixth, but Beloit's veterans manufactured the winning run in the eighth. Jack Alport (Arlington Heights, Ill.) singled, advanced on a wild pitch, and stole third base to set the stage for Seth Brankey (Salem, Wis.), who delivered a clutch sacrifice fly to center field to drive Alport home.
On the mound, Will Lyng (Helena, MT) provided a strong start, tossing five innings of three-hit ball. Caleb Lasher (Albuquerque, N.M.) earned the win with three innings of relief, and Ben Schweit (Simi Valley, CA.) slammed the door in the ninth to earn the save.
Game 2: Beloit 16, Knox 5 (8 Innings)
If the first game was a chess match, the second was a heavyweight knockout. After falling behind 3-0 early, the Beloit offense exploded for 16 runs on 10 hits, aided by 10 walks and four Knox errors.
The momentum shifted in the fourth inning when Beloit hung five runs on the scoreboard. Brody Bremer (Mesa, Ariz.) delivered a massive two-run single, followed by a two-run double from Alport to give the Bucs a lead they would never relinquish.
Beloit continued to pile on in the middle innings. Aiden Wood (Chandler, Ariz.) drove in a run in the fifth, and the sixth inning saw RBI singles from Krcmar and Wood, along with a sacrifice fly from Nolan Tomsyck (Muskego, Wis).
The Buccaneers saved their biggest frame for the eighth inning, plating six runs to turn the game into a rout. The inning featured disciplined plate appearances, including an RBI walk by Jacopo "JT" Tamburini (Bologna, Italy) and an RBI hit-by-pitch for Wood. Tomsyck added an RBI single, while Drew Hanson (Edgerton, Wis.) and Bremer both picked up RBIs on fielder's choice plays.
Collin Wright (Longmont, CO.) was stellar in relief, earning the win by throwing three perfect innings without allowing a single hit.
The Bucs are back home on Saturday to host Ripon College in a MWC doubleheader. First pitch for game one is set for 12 pm.
