Bats break it open late as Bruins take series from Webber

BABSON PARK, Fla. -- Nine runs over the final three innings broke open a tight game as the No. 7-ranked Bellevue University baseball team took down Webber International University with a 14-1 win at Brad Niethammer Field on Saturday afternoon in the rubber game of the three-game set.

Bellevue improves to 14-3 on the season while the loss sees Webber fall to 13-9 on the year.

Bellevue 14, Webber International 1

Carter Claerhout (8), Dylan Holmes (4), Ayden Makarus (7), and Nick Gravel (1) all homered in the ball game for the Bruins who scored their first six runs via the long ball.

Brayden Andersen turned in his best start of the season with six innings of three-hit ball until the Bruin offense got rolling.

Claerhout staked the Bruins to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a two-run home run though Steven Nitch answered with a solo shot in the second to halve the lead.

That is all Andersen (3-0) would allow for the Warriors as the right-hander made the lead stand up before giving way to BU's light's out bullpen.

Holmes homered, a solo shot in the fifth, and Makarus added a two-run job in the sixth as BU's lead swelled to 5-1. Nick Gravel kicked off a three-run seventh with a solo blast.

Bellevue tacked on another run in the eight and removed all doubt with a five-run ninth.

Garrett White and Heath Hachkowski combined on three innings of shutout relief to nail down the victory.

Tyler Helton (1-1) was hit with the loss for the Warriors, allowing five runs on nine hits in six innings of work. He struck out eight.

Inside the Numbers:

Bellevue hit a season-high four home runs on the day.
The game was delayed 40 minutes in the top of the seventh.
For BU, they have now won all four 3-plus game series they've played this year: sweeping Science & Arts and Briar Cliff in three-game sets, sweeping Central Methodist in a four-gamer, and now taking two of three from Webber.
The Bruins are 13-2 against teams that competed in last year's NAIA National Tournament.
Bellevue's bullpen continued their excellent work, wrapping up the series with a 1.93 ERA with nine strikeouts in 9.1 innings of work while posting a 1.39 WHIP.

Top Performers:

Bellevue University:

Nick Gravel – 4-6, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 runs
Ayden Makarus – 2-3, HR (7), 2 BB, 2 RBI, 3 runs
Xavier Lerma – 3-5, 2 RBI
Brayden Andersen – Win (3-0), 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 SO, 0 BB
Garrett White/Heath Hachkowski – combined 3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 4 SO, 1 BB in relief

Webber International University:

Steven Nitch – 1-3, solo HR (1)
David Zamora – 2-3
Jalen Martinez – 1-3

Up Next:

Bellevue is back in action tomorrow morning with a 9:15 a.m. (Central Time) first pitch against Aquinas College at the Chain of Lakes Complex in Winter Haven, Fla.