Big seventh inning helps BU salvage split on first day of THE Spring Games

CLERMONT, Fla. -- A five-run seventh inning saw the (RV) Bellevue University softball team overcome a 3-1 deficit to Lourdes University as the Bruins split a pair of games at THE Spring Games on Sunday. Bellevue was defeated by USC Beaufort 6-4 to begin the day before the Bruins responded with a 6-3 win over Lourdes later on in the afternoon.

The Bruins now sit at 7-3 on the season. They'll play three games tomorrow against Hannibal-LaGrange (8 a.m.), Mount Vernon Nazarene (10:30 a.m.), and Bethel (6 p.m.).

Game One: USC Beaufort 6, Bellevue 4

Erin Sharpe wasted no time putting Bellevue ahead in the opener, launching a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. It was her team-leading fifth long ball of the season.

USC Beaufort chipped away, getting an unearned run back in the second and tying the game when Natassja Hatcher singled in Kaitlyn O'Hearn.

BU took the lead in the sixth when pinch-hitter Kayla Young singled in a run and Grace Glotfelty delivered a sac fly.

The two-run BU lead was not enough as the Sand Sharks received two-run homers from both Hatcher and Melina Martinez in the seventh to go up 6-4.

Lexi LeCalsey fell to 4-2 in the circle.

Abby Pac (7-2) went the distance to earn the win for the Sand Sharks who improved to 15-4 on the year.

Three Bruins had multi-hit games; Sharpe, Emily Gigax, and Sarah Zeleny.

Game Two: Bellevue 6, Lourdes 3

Trailing 3-1 entering the seventh inning, Bellevue scored five times, sending 11 batters to the plate in the frame. With one out and a run already in, Emily Gigax singled up the middle to score two runs with the bases loaded to give BU a 4-3 lead. Maddie Siedlik and Michaela Miller singled home insurance runs later in the inning as BU defeated Lourdes 6-3 to earn a split on the day.

BU struck first in the third inning when Grace Glotfelty led off the frame with her third home run of the year down the left field line.

Lourdes picked up three base hits and, aided by a wild pitch and a passed ball, were able to go ahead with a three fourth inning.

The Bruins mounted an immediate threat in the fifth with the Glotfelty and Sarah Zeleny drawing walks but three-straight strikeouts by Marissa Kosick ended the inning without any damage.

Erin Sharpe (3-0) earned the win in relief for the Bruins while Brooke Gallaher (0-1) took the loss out of the 'pen for Lourdes.

The Gray Wolves, playing their first games of the season, fell to 0-2 after falling to Judson earlier in the day.