BU downs Chargers, falls to RU, JU at Spring Games

Reinhardt Box Score
Judson Box Score
Briar Cliff Box Score

CLERMONT, Fla. -- Similar to Sunday's opening day at the PFX Spring Games, the Bellevue University softball team dropped a pair of games to open the day, before rebounding for a victory in the nightcap. 

The Bruins lost to Reinhardt, 12-3 in five innings in the first contest and dropped a heartbreaker to Judson, 6-5, in eight innings in Monday's second game. BU defeated Briar Cliff, 6-2, to finish the day as Bellevue moved to 7-7 on the season.  

The Bruins continue action at the PFX Spring Games on Tuesday (March 5) when they battle Hannibal-LaGrange at 10:15 a.m., Trinity Christian at 12:30 p.m. and Judson (Ill.) at 5 p.m.

Reinhardt 12, Bellevue 3

The Bruins were plagued by six fielding errors, giving up seven unearned runs en route to the 12-3 loss to Reinhardt in five innings in the opener. Bellevue managed just three hits in the loss.  

The Eagles grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-run single to center field by Alise Hooks. The Bruins answered in the bottom of the first, scoring three runs on Emily Rochford's two-run single to center field and on an RBI single to center by Lauren Jurek, giving BU a 3-2 edge. 

The Eagles tied the game in the top of the third on an RBI single to right field by Emily Barnhard and took the lead at 5-3 on a two-run double to center field by Brooke Ramey and added another run following a BU fielding error by Ellie Bliemeister. 

RU expanded the lead to 10-3 in the top of the fourth, scoring four unearned runs thanks to three BU fielding errors and a bases-loaded hit batsman.

The Eagles pushed the RU advantage to 12-3 in the top of the fifth on groundout RBIs by Barnhard and Ramey.

Ansley Byers (2-1) earned the win, scattering three hits with five walks and six strikeouts in five innings of work. Erin Sharpe suffered the loss, allowing seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts in four innings in the circle.  

Judson 6, Bellevue 5 (8 innings)

After battling back from a 3-0 deficit in the top of the seventh, the Bruins forced extra innings before falling, 6-5 to Judson in eight innings in Monday's second contest. 

The top of the lineup with Ellie Bliemeister, Erin Sharpe and Ashlyn Teran all produced multiple hits in the loss.  

The Eagles grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when leadoff batter Skye Osborne basted a solo homer to right field on a full count. Neither team scored again until Sarah Kessler launched a two-run homer to right field in the bottom of the sixth to expand the Eagle lead to 3-0. 

The Bruins stormed back in the top of the seventh, tying the game at 3-3, scoring on an RBI double to left by Ashlyn Teran, off an Eagle fielding error, and on an RBI single to right field by Kaitlyn Kinman. BU took its first lead of the game on a groundout RBI by Maricela Egan, scoring Emily Rochford from third, making it 4-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh. 

After Monique Ashley replaced starter Lauren Jurek in the bottom of the seventh, Haley Dobson tied the game on an RBI line drive to left field, forcing extra innings.   

BU took a 5-4 lead in the top of the eighth inning when Kylee Sargent scored from third off a fielding error by Eagle shortstop Mariah Spivey. The Eagles answered in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double to left field by Lauren Herlihy to tie the contest at 5-5 and ended the game with Sydney Harrison's walk-off RBI double to center field, giving JU the 6-5 victory. 

Ashley (3-4) suffered the loss in relief, giving up three hits and two runs while striking out three batters in 1 2/3 innings of work.  

Bellevue 6, Briar Cliff 2

Brieanna Brock did not allow an earned run and the Bruins outhit BCU, 12-4, en route to the 6-2 victory in the nightcap. 

Brock (3-1) earned the complete-game win, allowing four hits and six walks while striking out nine batters in the complete-game victory. 

Egan went 4-for-4 at the plate to pace the BU offense. Bliemeister and Teran both produced two hits while Kayla Young drove in two runs. 

The Bruins took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a suicide squeeze bunt by Kinman that scored Egan from third.

A bases-loaded pop fly fielding error by Charger left fielder Julie Knowles allowed Teran to score, expanding the BU lead to 2-0 in the top of the sixth frame. The Bruins added three more runs in the inning on an RBI infield single by Randi Henry and a two-run single to center by Kayla Young to make it 5-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth. 

The Chargers cut the deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, scoring a pair of runs off consecutive BU fielding errors. 

The Bruins added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on an RBI double to center field by Jurek to make it 6-2.