Bruins fall to OKC, down CUNE to finish weekend split

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- After dropping their first game 5-1 to Oklahoma City University on Sunday, the No. 22-ranked Bellevue University baseball team took down No. 16 Concordia University 5-2 to finish off a four-game weekend split.

Bellevue sees their record move to 2-2 on the young season. Oklahoma City improved to 1-6 with their win in game one and Concordia fell to 2-1 following their game two loss.

Game One: Oklahoma City 5, Bellevue 1

Bauer Brinton struck out eight Bruin batters as he delivered a quality start to lift Oklahoma City to their first win of the season.

Trent Baker opened the scoring in the home half of the first with an RBI-single to chase home Aiden Alexander who led off with a bunt single. Two batters later Wyatt Pace drove home Cooper Holtorf with a base knock to center.

Bellevue got a run back in the third with Carter Claerhout launching the Bruins' first home run of the season, a one-out solo shot to left.

The Stars snuffed out momentum, scoring three times in the bottom of the third. A pair of walks to Holtorf and Baker to open the frame brought Aiden Rensum to the plate who belted a home run to left center for a 5-1 advantage.

Kody Butt took the loss for the Bruins, surrendering five runs on five hits and four walks over three innings of work. He struck out seven.

Game Two: Bellevue 5, Concordia 2

Brayden Andersen turned in a quality first start in a Bruin uniform. After pitching exclusively out of the bullpen last season, Anderson turned in the best starting pitching performance of the weekend, going 6-plus innings to earn the win and salvage a weekend split.

Jaylan Ruffin put the Bruins on the board in the second. With runners on second and third, Ruffin ripped a one-out single to left to chase home Ayden Makarus with the game's first run. After Ruffin stole second, Mason Spellecy reached on an error allowing courtesy runner Caleb Williams to come in and Ruffin to move up to third. Later in the frame Connor Boyd singled home Spellecy for a 3-0 BU lead.

Bellevue and CUNE traded runs in the fourth. Anthony Lind brought home Ruffin from second with a two-out single to center. Jack Hirchert answered with a solo shot in the bottom of the frame to put the Bulldogs on the board.

A sac fly from Jake Jordahl in the fifth pulled Concordia a run closer.

In the top of the seventh, Makarus – who arrived in Oklahoma City after game one was already underway on Super Bowl Sunday in a scene reminiscent of Bobby Boucher arriving to the Bourbon Bowl on a swamp boat – belted a solo home run to restore the three-run advantage.

Andersen departed in the bottom of the seventh after issuing a leadoff walk, giving way to Brody Burnette out of the bullpen. Burnette struck out the side, working around a one-out single, to shut down Concordia and earn his second save of the year.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue stranded nine runners on base in game one, going just 0-5 with runners in scoring position and just 1-12 with runners on.
• Oklahoma City was 4-9 with runners on base and 3-8 with runners in scoring position. The Stars had their leadoff batter reach in four of six offensive innings.
• BU's situational hitting improved in game two as the Bruins went 3-8 with runners in scoring position and 4-14 with runners on.
• For the weekend, Bellevue hit .240 though they managed just three extra-base hits.
• The Bruins held their opposition to a .228 batting average while the pitching staff combined for a 5.33 ERA.

Top Performers

Bellevue University:

Brayden Anderson: Win (1-0), 6 IP, 2 Runs (1 ER), 5 H, 3 SO, 3 BB
Brody Burnette: Save (2), 1 IP, 1 H, 3 SO
Cannon Close: 3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 SO, 1 BB
Carter Claerhout: 3-7, Solo HR (1)
Ayden Makarus: 2-4, HR (1), 2 Runs
Jaylan Ruffin: 2-3, RBI, Run

Oklahoma City University:

Bauer Brinton: Win (1-0), CG, 7 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 8 SO, 3 BB
Aiden Van Rensum: 1-3, 3-Run HR (3)
Trent Baker: 1-2, RBI, Run, Walk

Concordia University:

Jack Nelson: 3-3
Jack Hirchert: 2-3, Solo HR (1)
Bronx Lewis: 1-4

Up Next

Bellevue returns to the diamond next weekend with a three-game series in Chickasha, Okla. against Science & Arts. The Bruins and Drovers meet Friday, Feb. 13 at noon for a single game and against on Saturday, Feb. 14 for a double-header, also beginning at noon.