Bruins open NSAA Tourney with 9-3 win over VCSU
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 4 |
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4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | X | 9 | 8 | 3 |
DICKINSON, N.D. -- Three long balls and seven strong innings from Parker McMan backed the No. 17-ranked Bellevue University baseball team in their 9-3 win over Valley City State University in the first game of the North Star Athletic Association Baseball Tournament.
Bellevue, the top seed in the tournament, improves to 37-13 on the year and will play the winner of No. 5-seed Dakota State and No. 4-seed Simpson tomorrow.
Valley City drops to 20-31 and will play an elimination game against the DSU-Simpson loser tomorrow.
Game times for all of tomorrow's games will be announced following the conclusion of play on day one.
BU hitters touched up VCSU ace Hunter Magnuson for eight runs before departing after just 3.2 innings of work.
Alexis Velasco got the Vikings on the board first with a fielder's choice in the opening half inning. It would have been the third out if not for the first of five Bruin errors earlier in the frame.
The Bruins answered swiftly in the home half of the first. Steven Elsner became just the sixth player in program history to deliver a 20-home run season, going yard to right-center to tie the game. Two batters later, Jake Lacey left the yard for his seventh long ball of the year. BU added a run on a Viking fielding error that allowed Ayden Makarus to score from first.
Makarus chased Magnuson in the bottom of the fourth with a line drive grand slam, his 16th home run of the season.
Magnuson (4-6) exited with just three of his eight runs as earned on seven hits, four strikeouts, and four walks.
Jaden Babiuk got a run back for the Vikings with a bases-loaded single through the right side in the fifth but Parker McMan escaped further damage with a ground ball and a line drive double play to end the inning.
McMan (6-2) worked around the defensive miscues to deliver seven innings in a quality start. He allowed a pair of unearned runs while scattering eight hits and striking out six against just one walk.
Nick Gravel dropped down a sac bunt in the eighth that VCSU reliever Jay Mendez fired down the right field line to allow Anthony Lind to score from first, providing the Bruins an insurance run.
Brody Burnette worked the final two innings to nail down the victory, allowing just a solo home run from Babiuk with two out in the ninth.