Bellevue tops Tigers, 5-3, 10-1, in MCAC action
Holm, Henry earn wins while recording 12 strikeouts each; BU is now 28-13-2, 12-6 MCAC
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | MCAC Standings
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Bellevue University baseball team won its sixth-straight game after posting a 5-3 and 10-1 doubleheader sweep over Central Christian College Friday in Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference action at Westgate Field.
With the two conference wins, 21st-ranked Bellevue improved to 28-13-2 and 12-6 in the MCAC while Central Christian slipped to 20-29 overall and 4-14 in league play.
The Bruins will wrap-up their four-game MCAC series with the Tigers tomorrow with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
Bellevue 5, Central Christian 3
Lead-off batter Zack Clark went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored to lead the Bruins to the 5-3 win in the opener.
Charlie Krueger finished 3-for-4 with doubles on all three hits. Bryce Kelly scored a pair of runs and went 2-for-3 with a double as the Bruins outhit CCC, 13-6, in the win.
Neither team scored until a fielder's choice groundout RBI by Levi Cartas scored Nate Mullins, giving the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Tigers tied the contest at 1-1 in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly to left field by Tyler Gniadek that plated Nicholas Campos from third.
A sacrifice fly to right field by Clark scored Kelly, giving BU a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the fifth frame.
A two-run single to left field by Clark and an RBI double down the left field line by Kyle Kinman extended the BU lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh.
CCC was able to slice the lead to 5-3 with a two-run double to left center field by Clayton Lacher in the top of the eighth.
Bruin starter Ricky Holm retired the final five batters to stymie the Tiger comeback attempt.
Holm (7-1) picked up his team-leading seventh victory of the season, allowing six hits with 12 strikeouts and one walk in nine innings on the mound.
Alan Barker (0-4) was tagged with the loss, giving up 13 hits and five runs with one strikeout in 6.2 innings of work.
Bellevue 10, Central Christian 1
Eight different players tallied a hit and the Bruins scored nine runs in the first inning to complete the sweep, 10-1, in the finale.
Kelly and Kinman both registered a pair of hits while Clark recorded three RBIs to pace the offense.
Brennan Henry improved to 6-2 after striking out 12 CCC batters and allowing just one run on three hits. Henry's 12 strikeouts tied his season-high.
Martin Guevara led off the game with a triple down the right field line and scored on a groundout by Lacher, giving the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.
The Bruins quickly responded in the bottom of the first, batting through the lineup, scoring nine runs, highlighted by a three-run double to left center by Clark, a two-run single through the left side by Devin Ferguson and two-RBI single by Kinman to right field. Bellevue also scored on a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch.
Tyler Blood's fifth inning single allowed Clark to cross home plate to extend BU's lead to 10-1.
Zane Howard (4-4) lasted just two-thirds of an inning and gave up eight runs on six hits with two walks and a wild pitch.