Bruins rally, hold off Drovers to win on getaway day

CHICKASHA, Okla. -- The No. 15 Bellevue University baseball team scored five runs in the eighth and ninth to erase a one-run lead before holding on for a 7-6 comeback win over (RV) University of Science & Arts to snap a five-game losing skid.

The win sees the Bruins improve to 2-5 while the loss drops USAO to 8-6 on the year.

Steven Elsner singled home Logan Grant with two outs in the eighth for the game-tying run before the Bruins put up a four-spot in the ninth to grab a 7-3 lead.

A two-run scoring error saw Bellevue grab their first lead since the early innings. Nick Gravel and Elsner chased home insurance runs with a fielder's choice and run-scoring single respectively.

USAO mounted a rally in the ninth scoring a pair of runs on bases loaded walks to prompt a pitching change as Jared Eifler came on out of the 'pen. The Drovers added another on a two-out wild pitch and moved the tying run to third. A walk to P McDowall put the winning run on base but Eifler, induced a ground out of Ben Back to end the ballgame and lock down his first save of the year.

Kenji Miller (1-0) picked up the win with two innings of effective relief, allowing BU time to mount their comeback bid.

Gavin scattered eight hits across six innings allowing three runs though just two were earned for the Bruins' first quality start of the season.

USAO starter Tyson Noel struck out 10 and walked one across six innings, limiting BU to just two runs on six hits.

Jared Adams (1-3) took the loss in relief, allowing just one earned of his five runs, over 2.1 innings.

Elsner, who finished 3-for-5 with three RBI, opened the scoring with a first inning single in the top of the first to score Jake Lacey who led off the game with a base hit and took second on a sac bunt.

Christopher Martinez tied things up for the Drovers in the home half with a single the other way to score Gage Ninness.

Lacey, one of five Bruins with a multi-hit game, answered for BU with a double to score Anthony Lind with two outs in the second.

The lead stood until Martinez took Wuschke deep with a two-run shot in the third. Neither team scored again until Bellevue tied it in the eighth.

Lind and CJ Townsend both went 2-for-4 and Grant finished 2-for-3 on the day.

Martinez and Ian Ortiz were each 3-for-4 for the Drovers.

Bellevue is scheduled to return home next weekend with a four-game set against Briar Cliff. Friday's double-header is set for 1 p.m. and Saturday's first pitch is slated for noon.