Beloit Memorial pulls away with four-run fourth in 6-0 win over Union Grove

Beloit Memorial broke open a tight game with a four-run fourth inning and handed Union Grove a 6-0 Southern Lakes Conference loss on Saturday.

The decisive stretch came after the Purple Knights had already grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third. Cates put Beloit Memorial on the board with a double that drove in a run, then the home side added four more in the fourth to create separation. That rally gave the Broncos an early hole that proved difficult to escape against a sharp outing from Beloit Memorial starter Nora.

Nora went the distance in the shutout, allowing just two hits over seven innings while striking out six and walking two. Union Grove managed singles from Ashburn and Tucker Katterhagen, but Beloit Memorial kept traffic to a minimum throughout the afternoon. The Purple Knights also helped their pitcher by turning two double plays and playing error-free defense. Marshall paced that effort with eight plays in the field.

Christian Kuiper started for the Broncos and struck out four over 3 2/3 innings. He allowed five runs, four of them earned, on three hits and four walks. Union Grove stayed within reach early, but Beloit Memorial made the most of its opportunities once the lineup turned over in the middle innings.

Cates finished 1-for-3 and led Beloit Memorial with two RBIs, while Espinoza and Pearson also collected hits for the Purple Knights. For Union Grove, the result did not reflect a lack of effort so much as the challenge of facing a pitcher who controlled the game from the start and a defense that did not give away extra chances.

The Broncos will look to bounce back when they meet Beloit Memorial again on April 17, this time at Union Grove High School. Saturday's game turned on that third-inning breakthrough and the four-run fourth that followed, the sequence that decided a 6-0 final.