Beloit College uses hot bats to take down Ripon in doubleheader

RIPON, Wis.—Just call them the rallying Buccaneers.

The Beloit College softball team swept Ripon College 13-9, 8-4 in a doubleheader on Monday despite falling behind early in both games.

In the first game, the Red Hawks scored three runs in both the first and third inning as they took a 7-0 lead. But, the Bucs quickly answered with six runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to overtake Ripon.

Rachel Overocker began the rally with a single before Kaylee Witte doubled to center field. Briana Arteaga and Stella Lutes smacked back-to-back RBI singles to get the scoring started and Allison Olson hit a two-run double to left-center to make it 7-4. Isabel Johnson singled and Jocelyn Jordan reached on a fielder’s choice before Siddalee Meyers whacked a two-run single to cap off the big inning.

Lutes walloped a solo homer in the fifth to tie it at seven and, after Olson walked and Johnson doubled, Turner gradua’ RBI groundout put Beloit ahead for good.

Beloit poured on five more runs in the sixth as Lutes hit an RBI double, Olson added one-run single, and Meyers whacked a three-run double to left field.

Lutes and Johnson both had four hits for the Bucs, who outhit Ripon 19-8. Meyers went 2-for-4 with five RBI and Olson finished 2-for-4 with three runs batted in. Angela Donath and Overocker also added two hits apiece.

Samantha Friedrichsohn earned the win after tossing 4 1-3 innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with two strikeouts. Witte started for Beloit and gave up seven runs (four earned) on five hits.

In the nightcap, Ripon took a 2-0 lead in the second before the Bucs cut the deficit in half with Meyers’ RBI single in the third.

Beloit (10-26, 4-10 Midwest Conference) broke the game open in the fourth by surging ahead with four runs. Donath laid down a bunt single, stole second, and moved to third on Overocker’s groundout to begin the frame. She scored on a single to left by Lutes, who moved to second on a groundout and to third on Olson’s single. Both baserunners came home on Johnson’s two-run single and Meyers added a run with her one-bagger later in the inning.

The Red Hawks (9-21, 3-9) cut it to 5-4 in the fifth but RBI singles from Jordan and Donath along with a one-run double from Meyers helped Beloit up its lead to 8-4.

Meyers and Donath each finished with three hits. Beloit outhit Ripon 13-5.

Helena Harrison earned the complete-game victory as she allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and five walks in seven innings.

The Bucs host Monmouth Sunday at 1 p.m. on Senior Day.