Bruins complete four-game series sweep at No. 25 CMU

FAYETTE, Mo. — No. 22 Bellevue University dominated No. 25 Central Methodist University with 15 runs on 19 hits in Saturday's opener, then rallied from a four-run deficit to post an 11-9 win in the nine-inning nightcap and complete a four-game, non-conference series sweep at Estes Field. BU improved to 12-2 and extended its winning streak to 11 games, while the Eagles fell to 5-8.

Across the doubleheader, Bellevue scored 26 runs on 27 hits. Ayden Makarus went 6-for-8 with nine RBIs, two doubles, and two home runs, while Carter Claerhout finished 5-for-7 with six runs scored, four RBIs, and two homers.

Bellevue's sweep marked the first time in 11 years that Central Methodist has lost four straight in a home series.

Game 1: Bellevue 15, Central Methodist 5

Bellevue scored 15 runs on 19 hits and built a 15-0 lead through six innings before Central Methodist got all five of its runs on Ryan Malzahn's two home runs.

The Bruins struck for five runs in the first to take a 5-0 lead. Anthony Lind led off with a double and scored on Oak Held's RBI single for a 1-0 advantage. Carter Claerhout followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0, and Nick Gravel added an RBI single to push it to 3-0. Dylan Holmes singled in a run for a 4-0 lead, and Mason Spellecy capped the inning with an RBI single to make it 5-0.

Bellevue went back-to-back in the second, as Claerhout homered to extend the lead to 6-0 and Makarus followed with a solo shot for a 7-0 cushion.

BU added one in the fourth to make it 8-0, then broke it open with four runs in the fifth to stretch the lead to 12-0. Holmes led off the inning with a solo homer for a 9-0 lead, and Makarus later delivered a two-run double to extend the margin.

Bellevue tacked on three more in the sixth to take a 15-0 lead. Luke Anderson doubled to start the rally and scored on Conner Boyd's RBI triple to make it 13-0. Jonny Carrera lifted a sacrifice fly for a 14-0 advantage, and Derrick Kuhlmann doubled in a run to push it to 15-0.

Central Methodist scored twice in the sixth on Malzahn's two-run homer to cut it to 15-2, then added three more in the seventh on Malzahn's three-run blast to bring the final to 15-5.

Top Performers

Bellevue University (hitters)

• Ayden Makarus: 3-for-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, 2B, BB
• Carter Claerhout: 3-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR
• Oak Held: 2-for-3, 3 R, RBI, BB, 2B
• Dylan Holmes: 2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, HR
• Nick Gravel: 1-for-4, 2 RBI

Bellevue University (pitching)

• Brayden Andersen (W): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
• Alexandre Dionne: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Central Methodist University

• Ryan Malzahn: 3-for-3, 2 HR, 5 RBI

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 15 runs, 19 hits, 1 error; Central Methodist: 5 runs, 7 hits, 1 error
• BU produced nine extra-base hits: 5 doubles, 1 triple, and 3 home runs
• Bellevue went 9-for-17 with runners in scoring position

Game 2: Bellevue 11, Central Methodist 9

Bellevue erased an early four-run deficit and used a four-run eighth inning to pull out an 11-9 win in the nine-inning nightcap. Makarus went 3-for-5 with six RBIs, including a two-out, three-run homer in the fifth and a three-run double in the eighth.

BU scored twice in the first to take a 2-0 lead. With Held and Claerhout both hit by pitches and moving into scoring position on a wild pitch, Gravel drew a walk to bring home Held for a 1-0 advantage. Xavier Lerma followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.

Central Methodist answered with three runs in the second to move in front 3-2, highlighted by Gabe Whitehurst's two-run double and Malzahn's RBI single. The Eagles added three more in the third to extend the lead to 6-2, scoring two unearned runs on a sacrifice bunt that turned into an error and later plating another on Joseph Vazquez's RBI single.

Bellevue pulled within 6-5 in the fifth on Makarus' two-out, three-run homer to left-center, but CMU answered in the bottom half when Logan McKillip scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-5.

The Bruins tied it in the seventh when Held walked and Claerhout homered to center for a two-run shot, evening the score at 7-7.

Bellevue took control with four runs in the eighth. Jackson Polk scored on a wild pitch to put BU back in front 8-7, and Makarus followed later in the inning with a three-run double to stretch the lead to 11-7.

Central Methodist scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to trim it to 11-9. Joseph Vazquez doubled down the left-field line to drive in a run for 11-8, and Whitehurst brought home another on an RBI groundout to make it 11-9, but Brody Burnette worked out of the inning and posted a scoreless ninth to close it out.

Top Performers

Bellevue University (hitters)

• Ayden Makarus: 3-for-5, 6 RBI, HR, 2B
• Carter Claerhout: 2-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB
• Xavier Lerma: 1-for-4, RBI
• Jaylan Ruffin: 2 R, BB

Bellevue University (pitching)

• Garrett White: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
• Kody Butt (W): 4.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• Brody Burnette (SV): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (6th save)

Central Methodist University

• Gabe Whitehurst: 2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, BB
• Joseph Vazquez: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 11 runs, 8 hits, 1 error; Central Methodist: 9 runs, 10 hits, 1 error
• BU drew six walks and was hit by pitch three times
• Bellevue scored six of its 11 runs in the seventh and eighth innings, including four in the eighth

Up Next

The Bruins will head south next week for their annual trip to Florida. BU's first opponent will be No. 8-ranked Webber International University next Thursday, March 5 at 5 p.m. (CT) in Babson Park, Fla.