BURLINGTON – Cornell's baseball team opened Midwest Conference play Saturday night with a 6-1 neutral-site loss to defending MWC champion Beloit at Community Field.
 
The Rams (8-5 overall, 0-1 MWC) and Buccaneers (8-4 overall, 1-0 MWC) will complete the three-game series Sunday with a noon doubleheader at Glasgow Field in Monmouth, Ill.
 
Cornell collected 10 hits in the opener, although couldn't break through against the MWC preseason favorite, stranding nine runners on base.
 
Cornell's lone run of the contest came on a two-out single by Esteban Perez that plated Kale Rose in the bottom of the first. Beloit scored four of its runs with two outs and finished with 11 hits.  
 
Rose went 3-for-4 from the No. 3 slot in the lineup. Sean Alvarez and Cade Parks added two hits apiece for the Rams.
 
Cornell starting pitcher Cameron Anderson (1-1) struck out seven over four innings, yielding three hits and two runs.