Bruin offense erupts in doubleheader sweep over CMU

FAYETTE, Mo. — No. 22 Bellevue University swept Friday's non-conference doubleheader at Estes Field, defeating No. 25 Central Methodist University 12-8 in the opener before closing the day with an 11-1 run-rule win in eight innings in Game 2. The Bruins improved to 10-2, while the Eagles fell to 5-6.

Bellevue totaled 23 runs on 29 hits in the sweep. Mason Spellecy drove in four runs in Game 1, and Kenji Miller struck out 11 while allowing one run on five hits in the nightcap.

Game 1: Bellevue University 12, Central Methodist University 8

How It Happened

Bellevue built a 5-1 lead in the first inning, then answered Central Methodist's six-run third with runs in each of the final four innings to close out the win.

The Bruins struck for five runs with two outs in the top of the first. After Central Methodist retired the first two hitters, Carter Claerhout launched a two-out solo homer to put BU ahead 1-0. Dylan Holmes followed with a two-run double to make it 3-0, and Mason Spellecy capped the inning with a two-run single for a 5-0 lead. CMU answered in the bottom half on Ryan Malzahn's sacrifice fly to cut it to 5-1.

Bellevue extended the lead to 6-1 in the third when Spellecy singled home Xavier Lerma, but the Eagles surged ahead with six runs in the bottom of the inning. Malzahn's grand slam pulled CMU within 6-5, Justin Smith's sacrifice fly tied it 6-6, and a wild pitch later in the frame pushed the Eagles in front 7-6.

Bellevue answered immediately. Lerma tripled home Nick Gravel in the fourth to tie it 7-7, and Oak Held's RBI double in the fifth put BU back in front 8-7. Ayden Makarus led off the sixth with a solo home run to extend the lead to 9-7, and Spellecy added an RBI single later in the inning to make it 10-7.

BU added two in the seventh. Makarus' sacrifice fly plated Held for an 11-7 lead, and Jackson Polk later scored in the inning to stretch it to 12-7. Central Methodist trimmed it to 12-8 on Smith's RBI double in the bottom of the seventh, but Brody Burnette recorded the final out to finish the game.

Top Performers

Bellevue University (hitters)

• Mason Spellecy: 3-for-3, 4 RBI
• Dylan Holmes: 2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI
• Ayden Makarus: 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI
• Carter Claerhout: 2-for-5, HR, RBI
• Oak Held: 2-for-5, 2B, RBI

Bellevue University (pitching)

• Brady Baltus (W): 5.0 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Cannon Close: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Brody Burnette (SV): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (5th save)

Central Methodist University

• Ryan Malzahn: 2-for-2, grand slam, 5 RBI, BB
• Justin Smith: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 12 runs, 16 hits, 1 error; Central Methodist: 8 runs, 9 hits, 1 error
• BU produced six extra-base hits (2 HR, 3 2B, 1 3B)
• Bellevue scored five runs with two outs in the first inning
• The Bruins answered CMU's six-run third by outscoring the Eagles 6-1 from the fourth through seventh

Game 2: Bellevue University 11, Central Methodist University 1 (8 innings)

How It Happened

Kenji Miller dominated in the nightcap, striking out 11 while allowing one run on five hits as No. 22 Bellevue University rolled past No. 25 Central Methodist University, 11-1, in eight innings.

Bellevue scored three times in the second to take a 3-0 lead. Dylan Holmes' RBI groundout opened the scoring for 1-0, Anthony Lind followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0, and Oak Held's RBI single pushed the margin to 3-0.

BU added another in the third when Xavier Lerma's sacrifice fly brought home Ayden Makarus for a 4-0 lead. Central Methodist got on the board in the fifth on Sean Mitchell's RBI single to cut it to 4-1, but the Bruins answered in the sixth when Mason Spellecy scored on an error to make it 5-1.

Bellevue broke the game open with six runs in the eighth to extend the lead to 11-1 and trigger the run rule. A bases-loaded walk made it 6-1, Nick Gravel's RBI single pushed it to 7-1, and a bases-loaded walk extended the lead to 8-1. Holmes' sacrifice fly made it 9-1, and the Bruins added two more on a hit-by-pitch and wild pitches to reach 11-1 and end it.

Top Performers

Bellevue University (hitters)

• Oak Held: 3-for-6, RBI
• Nick Gravel: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB
• Xavier Lerma: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, BB
• Ayden Makarus: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB

Bellevue University (pitching)

• Kenji Miller (W): 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K

Central Methodist University

• Sean Mitchell: RBI single

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 11 runs, 13 hits, 0 errors; Central Methodist: 1 run, 5 hits, 1 error
• BU scored in four different innings and finished with a six-run eighth
• The Bruins' eighth included two bases-loaded walks, a sacrifice fly, a hit-by-pitch, and multiple runs scored on wild pitches

Up Next

The two teams will conclude the four-game series Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Estes Field. The opener will be seven innings, followed by a nine-inning nightcap.