BU opens conference season with sweep over Wesmen
Bellevue defeated Winnipeg, 18-7, 6-2 ... Todd Nicks led the Bruins offensively on the day, driving in seven runs, including two home runs.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
OMAHA, Neb. -- The eighth-ranked Bellevue University baseball team opened North Star Athletic Association play on Sunday with a sweep over visiting University of Winnipeg, winning 18-7 in the opener and 6-2 in the nightcap.
Todd Nicks led the Bruins offensively on the day, driving in seven runs, including two home runs.
The Bruins improved to 21-6 on the season and 2-0 in the NSAA. Winnipeg fell to 2-20 overall and 0-2 in league play.
Game 1: Bellevue 18, Winnipeg 7
Nicks went 5-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, and six RBIs to lead the BU offense that produced 21 hits in the 18-7 victory in the opener. Derik Bontempo also went 5-for-5 with a double, a triple and an RBI. Matt Evans drove in four runs while collecting a double and a home run.
The Bruins grabbed an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first, highlighted by RBI doubles from Evans and Nicks, and a run-scoring triple by Bontempo.
The Wesmen got a run back in the top of the second, scoring on a fielding error by Nicks to cut the lead to 4-1.
A three-run homer by Evans extended the lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the second and a two-run bomb by Nicks and an RBI single by Hunter Kelly made it 10-1 in the fourth frame.
After UW scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, the Bruins answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning, sparked by an RBI single by Nicks and a two-run triple by Joe Moran, to push the margin to 14-3.
The Wesmen plated four runs in the top of the sixth, scoring on a bases-load walk, a passed ball, a sacrifice fly to center field by Nic Kauenhofen and on an RBI single to center by Cole Armstrong, to slice the deficit to 14-7.
A pair of two-run doubles by Nicks and Hunter Robson made the final, 18-7, as BU held the Wesmen scoreless in the top of the seventh inning.
Dylan Thorp (1-1) was credited with the victory, allowing four hits with no walks and three strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work.
Game 2: Bellevue 6, Winnipeg 2
The Bruins scored two runs in three separate innings en route to the 6-2 win in the nightcap.
Neither team scored until the Bruins plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by an RBI single to left center by Lumus Russell, while also scoring on a UW fielding error.
A solo homer by Nicks and a one-run single to left field by Diego Iribarren made it 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth.
The Bruins added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth with RBI singles by Alec Chaney and Evans, giving BU a 6-0 edge.
The Wesmen avoided the shutout, registering two runs in the top of the seventh, scoring on a wild pitch and on an RBI single to center field by Aiden Brook. Max Dwyer replaced starter Zach Wilson and recorded the final out to earn his team-leading fifth save of the season.
Wilson (3-1) earned the win, scattering eight hits and one walk with nine strikeouts in 6.2 innings on the mound.