The Beloit Sky Carp started Saturday’s game against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers with a lead-off double and kept the pressure on for the rest of the game. Beloit beat the Rattlers 5-3 for their third straight victory at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Cameron Barstad continued with torment the Timber Rattlers with three RBI in the game.
After a scoreless top of the first inning, a lead-off walk and a single started the Beloit half of the second inning. Barstad singled with one out to drive in the first run of the game.
The Sky Carp (9-5 second half, 36-43 overall) loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth inning. Barstad drew a walk to force in a run for a 2-0 lead.
Davis Bradshaw made it 3-0 with a two-out, RBI single in the top of the fifth.
Wisconsin (7-7, 33-45) loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth on a double by Je’Von Ward and back-to-back walks to Jheremy Vargas and Robert Moore. Matt Wood knocked in a run with a ground out to cut the deficit to two runs.
Alex Hall got the Rattlers closer with a solo home run to right in the bottom of the sixth. The homer was Hall’s ninth of the season and third of the series. Hall, who drove in nine runs in the game on Wednesday night has eleven RBI in the series.
However, the Sky Carp built their lead back up to three runs with two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Jacob Berry tripled and scored on a wild pitch. Later in the inning, Barstad drove in a run with a sacrifice fly for a 5-2 advantage. Barstad has six RBI in the four games he has played in this series.
Hendry Mendez blooped a two-out single to left in the bottom of the seventh to get the Rattlers back to within two runs. A strikeout with the go-ahead run at the plate ended the Wisconsin threat.
Hall started the bottom of the eighth inning with a single, his third hit of the game. Jose Acosta was next, and he hit a ball right on the button, but lined it right to the second baseman, who caught the ball and threw back to first to double Hall off first base. Acosta had also lined into a double play in the fourth inning.
Wisconsin did not threaten again. Jozwiak got the final out of the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth to earn his eighth save in eight opportunities this season. In five appearances against Wisconsin this season, Jozwiak is 1-0 with three saves and has allowed two earned runs in eight innings.
The series finale is Sunday afternoon with a 1:10pm start time. Alexander Cornielle (0-1, 5.17) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. The Sky Carp have named Cade Gibson (0-5, 7.76) as their starter.
