Alyssa Clark's first collegiate home run became a footnote, as Westfield State softball lost a wild affair, 11-10 to Beloit (WI) in game one of a split doubleheader in extra innings.
Clark homered in the first inning to stake the Owls to a 1-0 lead, then added a 3-run shot in the top of the ninth inning to give the Owls a 5-2 advantage.
But Beloit rallied for three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game 5-5 and force the extra frame. Westfield exploded for five runs in the top of the eighth inning, scoring two runs on a Colleen Hughes double and two more on a Rachel Sinclair single to lead 10-5.
Beloit rallied for five unearned runs in the bottom half of the eighth, finally issuing the deciding blow on Taft's single to left which scored two runs, including the game winner.
Maddy Pfortmiller went the distance to earn the win for the Buccaneers.
Emily Arredondo took the loss for the Owls in relief of Brenna Welch. Clark finished 3-4 with four runs batted in. Christina Ciampa added three hits and Sinclair and Kaitlynn Prophet each had two hits apiece.
In game two, Westfield fell to Pitt-Greensburg by a final score of 15-3. Madison Philbrook had a 2-run double for the Owls.
The Owls take tomorrow off, before returning to action with a pair of games on Thursday against UMass-Dartmouth and Suffolk at Legends Way in Clermont.