Bellevue extends streak to seven with 13-9 win over BCU

SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- A four-run ninth capped a wild final three innings to give the No. 22-ranked Bellevue University baseball team defeated Briar Cliff University 13-9 on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference at Bishop Mueller Field.

With their seventh-straight victory BU improves 8-2 and the year with a three-game season sweep of the Chargers. Briar Cliff has now lost six-straight to fall to 2-9.

Recap: Bellevue 13, Briar Cliff 9

Ayden Makarus put the Bruins on the board in the top of the first with his team-leading fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot that scored Carter Claerhout who had singled earlier in the frame.

Briar Cliff, as the did at almost every turn, answered back with a two-run single from Connor Neubeck in the home half of the frame. The Chargers took the lead an inning later when Cade Marquardt singled home a two-out RBI.

Dylan Holmes doubled in a run in the third and Oak Held delivered his second home run in the fourth to put BU back in front.

Anthony Lind added to the BU lead with a sac fly in the sixth after an ill-advised throw to second on a wild pitch allowed Jaylan Ruffin to take third uncontested.

Greyson Kay's first home run of the season pulled BCU within one in the home half of the sixth.

Four runs for BU over the next two innings saw the Bruins lead 9-6 going into the bottom of the eighth before the Chargers tied the game.

Brody Burnette came on with no outs and the bases loaded in the eighth and immediately induced a ground ball double play. A run scored on the twin-killing and another on a wild pitch, but Burnette avoided any further damage with a flyout from Caleb St. Cyr.

Connor Boyd was hit by a pitch with one out and the bases loaded to bring home a run for the Bruins in the ninth, putting them back on top. Ruffin, the next batter, reached on a throwing error that saw three more base runners score to extend Bellevue's lead to 13-9.

Burnette worked a perfect ninth, one of just two 1-2-3 innings, to nail down the victory.

Top Performers

Win: Brody Burnette (1-0)
Loss: Kadyn Marks (0-1)

Bellevue University:

Carter Claerhout - 3-5, double, 3 runs scored
Ayden Makarus - 1-4, home run (4), 2 RBI, 2 runs scored
Nick Gravel - 2-3, 2 walks, 2 runs scored
Xavier Lerma - 2-5, RBI, run scored
Brody Burnette - 2 IP, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks
Cannon Close - 2 IP, 0 runs, 3 strikeouts, 1 hit, 1 walk

Briar Cliff University:

Cade Marquardt - 5-5, 2 runs scored
Greyson Kay - 2-5, home run (1), RBI, 2 runs scored
Jake Christianson - 2-4, 2 runs scored
Nick Hays - 1 IP, 0 runs, 2 strikeouts, 1 hit

Inside the Numbers:

• Hits finished even at 13 apiece while Briar Cliff left nine runners on base to BU's eight.
• The Chargers committed three errors leading to a trio of unearned runs, Bellevue had one that resulted in one unearned run.
• Seven pitchers took the mound for Bellevue, none throwing more than 2 innings.
• BU's current seven-game win streak is just one off the program record for the month of February (2004).

Up Next:

Bellevue is slated to host No. 25 Central Methodist University in a top 25 match-up with the four-game series kicking off Friday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. from John Stella Field at Brown Park.