Bruins down Grace, 10-8, fall to Ave Maria, 6-5

Grace Box Score
Ave Maria Box Score

CLERMONT, Fla. -- The Bellevue University softball team split a pair of games Wednesday at the National Training Center Spring Games, defeating Grace (Ind.) College, 10-8, before letting a five-run lead slip away in a 6-5 loss to Ave Maria University in nine innings. 

The Bruins (8-4) will conclude action at the tournament on Thursday (March 7) with a 9 a.m. game against Point Park University and a 1 p.m. contest with Cornerstone University.  

Bellevue 10, Grace (Ind.) 8

The Bruins scored five runs in the seventh inning to rally for a 10-8 win over Grace in the opening game of the day. Amanda Neumann went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and two run scored to pace the BU offense. Katie Tew blasted her third home run of the season in the victory. 

Neumann's RBI double gave the Bruins an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. 

A bases-loaded walk and a two-run single by Danielle Wellman gave the Lancers a 3-1 edge in the bottom of the third. 

The Bruins roared back in the top of the fifth, scoring four runs, three of which were off of Grace fielding errors, while also adding an RBI single by Shelby Kindelin.

Grace tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run single by Paige Petrone and took a three-run lead in the sixth sparked by an RBI single from Brooke Shell, while adding two runs off a Bruin fielding error.

Tew's two-run homer in the top of the seventh drew BU to within one run at 8-7. Consecutive RBI doubles by Wees and Neumann helped the Bruins regain the lead at 9-8 and BU scored its 10th run off a fielding error by Lancer shortstop Samantha Fields.

Bruin reliever Taylor Mohler preserved the win allowing just one base hit in the bottom of the seventh.  

Ave Maria 6, Bellevue 5 (9 innings)

The Bruins squandered a five-run lead to Ave Maria, giving up five runs in the seventh inning before falling 6-5 in nine innings.

Neither team scored until Kelsie Bridgeford's RBI single in the bottom of the third inning gave BU a 1-0 advantage. 

The Bruins added four runs in the bottom of the fourth as Taylor Anderson, Augusta Ratliff, and Neumann all drove in runs. 

The Gyrenes stormed back in the top of the seventh, scoring five runs sparked by a bases-loaded triple by Jessenia Gonzalez that brought AMU to within one run at 5-4. Marlie Braddy's sacrifice fly drove in Gonzalez, tying the contest at 5-5. 

Gonzalez' RBI single in the top of the ninth gave the Gyrenes their first lead of the game at 6-5.

The Bruins threatened in the bottom of the ninth with a runner on third and only one out, but Gyrene pitcher Samantha Crews forced a line out and a ground out to secure the win. 

Mohler took the loss, allowing five hits and eight walks, while striking out 10 batters in 8 2/3 innings of work.