LOVES PARK, Ill. - The Rockford University softball team (8-6) defeated Beloit College (3-10) in both games of the team's Tuesday night doubleheader. Falling behind to start both games did not faze the Regents, coming back to win the opener 11-5, and winning the nightcap 11-6 thanks to a six-run bottom of the first to take the lead. The Rockford offense tallied 22 hits, including four doubles and four triples, between the two games that helped the team finish 2-0 on the evening.
Olivia Swanson had a very good day at the plate, she finished with a triple in each game along with a total of seven RBIs between the two contests.
Game 1
- Beloit started the scoring in the top of the first with a double to take the lead 1-0. The Buccaneers added on two more runs in the top of the second on a triple and a sacrifice fly.
- The Regents responded in the bottom of the second inning when Breanna Collins reached on an error that allowed Candace Kipp to score from third base.
- Rockford scored another run in the bottom of the third when Michaela Spanbauer hit a sacrifice fly to left field that was deep enough to score Olivia Swanson.
- Breanna Collins started a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth with a triple to right center. Emily Down walked and later stole second, and Olivia Swanson scored both Collins and Down with a single to right field to give the Regents their first lead of the game at 4-3.
- The offense continued in the bottom of the fifth with a loaded bases situation with Olivia Swanson coming to bat again. Swanson hit a triple to left center field that scored all three runners on base, then she later scored on a single by Elizabeth Thomas to make the score 8-3.
- Beloit took back a run on a sacrifice fly, only to deal with three more Rockford runs in the bottom of the inning. Candace Kipp hit a single and scored the pinch runner Audrey Mendenhall, and Kipp and Spanbauer both scored off steals and an error by Beloit College.
- The Buccaneers scored one more run before the final out of the seventh and the Regents won the opening game 11-5.
Game 2
- Beloit College got on the board early in the first inning again, recording three runs off a pair of singles and a pair of doubles to take the lead 3-0.
- Rockford had an even bigger first inning. Elizabeth Thomas led off with a triple and scored on a wild pitch. Jocelyn Callahan and Breanna Collins scored a pair of RBIs to even the score at 3-3. Olivia Swanson continued her RBI-filled evening with another triple to score a pair of runners to take the lead 5-3. Finally, Elizabeth Thomas came up for the second time in the inning and scored Swanson for the final run of the first.
- The Regents scored two more in the bottom of the second with a pair of unearned runs to make it 8-3.
- Beloit scored three runs after a quiet third inning thanks to a couple singles and a triple to shrink the lead to two runs at 8-6.
- Rockford got a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Michaela Spanbauer smacked a double to left center field that scored Candace Kipp and Emily Cox to make the score 10-8 after five innings. The Regents got one more run before the final out in the top of the seventh and finished 2-0 on the day with a final score of 11-6.
Game 1
- Olivia Swanson finished 2-for-2 with a triple and a team-high 5 RBI's.
- Emily Cox was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a walk.
- Candace Kipp was 2-for-4, scoring twice and recording a stolen base and an RBI.
- Mariah Martinez finished with the win on 5.2 innings and tallied 4 strikeouts.
Game 2
- Elizabeth Thomas was 3-for-5, scoring once and recording a triple and an RBI.
- Olivia Swanson was 1-for-1 with a triple, 2 RBIs, and a walk.
- Emily Cox scored twice and recorded 3 walks and an RBI. Despite these statistics, Cox finished 0-for-2 and had her hitting streak ended at 13 games.
- Candace Kipp was 2-for-5, she scored twice and hit a double.
- Mariah Martinez came in for the save. She only allowed 3 hits in 3 innings of work and recorded 2 strikeouts.
