BU runs win streak to nine with sweep over Warriors
After pulling out a dramatic, 9-8, win in the opener, the Bruins cruised to a 13-1 victory in five innings in the nightcap as the Bellevue University softball team saw its winning streak extend to nine games with a doubleheader sweep over Waldorf University Saturday in North Star Athletic Association action at Roy Smith Field.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
OMAHA, Neb. -- After pulling out a dramatic, 9-8, win in the opener, the Bruins cruised to a 13-1 victory in five innings in the nightcap as the Bellevue University softball team saw its winning streak extend to nine games with a doubleheader sweep over Waldorf University Saturday in North Star Athletic Association action at Roy Smith Field.
The Bruins improved to 39-16 on the season with the sweep and 21-5 in the NSAA. Waldorf dropped to 14-28 overall and 11-15 in league play. Monique Ashley picked up the victory in both contests.
The two teams will conclude the four-game series with a noon doubleheader on Sunday at Roy Smith Field.
Game 1: Bellevue 9, Waldorf 8
Both teams pounded out 12 hits in cold and windy conditions as the Bruins scored in the bottom of the seventh on a fielding error to escape with the 9-8 victory in the opener.
Ashlyn Teran and Maricela Egan both drove in a pair of runs in the victory. Maddie Siedlik finished 3-for-3 with a triple and an RBI.
A two-run double down the right-field line by Peyton Arenson gave the Warriors an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
A two-out bases-loaded fielding error by WU shortstop Karlee Leyvas, combined with RBI singles by Maricela Egan and Maddie Siedlik and bases-loaded walks to Randi Henry and Ashlyn Teran gave BU a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the first.
A two-run double to deep center field by Payge Jurgens sliced the BU lead to 5-4 in the top of the third.
The Bruins extended the lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single up the middle by Egan.
The Warriors tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the fifth on a two-run homer to center field by Bree Hamblin.
An RBI single to left field by Ellie Bliemeister helped BU regain the
A solo shot over the center-field fence by Lauren Hein and an RBI single to center field by Ursula Delcampo gave the Warriors an 8-7 lead in the top of the sixth frame.
Teran's RBI single to right field tied the game up again at 8-8 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
With runners on second and third, a throwing error by WU catcher Bree Hamblin allowed pinch runner Emily Mendick to score from third, giving the Bruins the dramatic 9-8 victory.
Ashley (14-7) earned the win in relief, as she did not allow a hit or a walk while recording one strikeout in one inning of work.
Game 2: Bellevue 13, Waldorf 1 (5 innings)
The Bruins recorded four home runs and two doubles en route to the 13-1 victory in the nightcap.
Bliemeister went 2-for-3 with two home runs and five RBIs to pace the BU offense. Erin Sharpe finished 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and four RBIs.
The Warriors scored first on an RBI line drive single to left field by Jurgens, giving WU a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. WU did not threaten the remainder of the contest.
The Bruins countered with six runs on four hits in the bottom of the first, sparked by a three-run home run by Bliemeister, a two-run homer by Sharpe and an RBI single by Siedlik. It marked Sharpe's team-leading 24th home run of the season and ran her hitting streak to 16 games.
BU added six more runs in the bottom of the third highlighted by a two-run homer to left by Bliemeister, a two-run double to left by Sharpe and an RBI double to center by Ashley Young, extending the BU advantage to 12-1.
On her first at-bat of the doubleheader, freshman Kelsey Arnold led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a solo homer to left field, making it 13-1.
Ashley (15-7) scattered four hits with one walk and two strikeouts in five innings in the circle to earn her team-leading 15th victory of the season.