BU rebounds to finish 1-2 on Thursday at Spring Games

Cornerstone Box Score
Michigan-Dearborn Game 1 Box Score
Michigan-Dearborn Game 2 Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- After dropping the first two contests of the day to Cornerstone and Michigan-Dearborn, the Bellevue University softball team rebounded in the final game of the afternoon, defeating UMD to finish 1-2 on the day. 

Bellevue fell to Cornerstone, 9-3 in the opener and then dropped an eight-inning contest to Michigan-Dearborn, 11-7, before coming back from six runs down to defeat UMD, 10-8, in the nightcap. 

BU is now 8-6 on the season. 

The Bruins resume action in the Spring Games tomorrow (Mar. 6) when they take on Missouri Baptist at 12:45 p.m. and Florida National at 3:00 p.m.

Cornerstone 9, Bellevue 3

Cornerstone used a big fifth inning to offset a pair of BU home runs as CU registered a 9-3 victory in the Bruins' first game of the day. 

The Golden Eagles struck first, scoring off a wild pitch from Brieanna Brock to take an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first.  

Emily Rochford tied the game in the bottom of the second with her team-leading fifth home run of the season, a two-out solo shot over the center-field fence. 

CU regained the lead in the top of the third, scoring on a fielding error by first baseman Kelsey Arnold. 

The Golden Eagles exploded for seven runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by a two-run single to center by McKenzie Butgereit and a two-run homer to left field by Alessa Baldwin-Butcher, giving CU a 9-1 advantage.  

Arnold delivered a solo blast over the center-field fence in the bottom of the fifth to slice the margin to 9-2, keeping the Bruins' hopes alive.  

A groundout RBI by Rochford plated Allison O'Driscoll from third to make the score 9-3 in the bottom of the sixth.

Reliever Kaitlin Johnson retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to secure the six-run victory for the Golden Eagles. 

Brock (0-2) took the loss, allowing five runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. 

Mikayla Meade (1-1) earned the win, giving up two runs on four hits with no walks and six K's in five innings in the circle.  

Michigan-Dearborn 11, Bellevue 7 (8 innings)

After recovering from a five-run sixth inning to tie the contest, the Bruins fell in extra innings on a walk-off grand slam as UMD picked up the opener, 11-7, in eight innings.

Ellie Bliemeister went 3-for-4 in the loss, with a double and a home run. Madison Machacek finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and a pair of RBIs. 

Bliemeister led off the game with a solo homer to center field to give the Bruins an early 1-0 advantage. 

BU increased the lead to 4-1 in the top of the fifth on an RBI double to center field by Machacek, a run-scoring single to right field by Rochford, and a bases-loaded walk to Randi Henry. 

Madeline Skene scored from third off a wild pitch from Rochford, to slice the BU lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth. 

Skene launched a three-run homer to center field on a 10-pitch at-bat and pinch hitter Kayla Laquiere belted a two-run homer to left field to give UMD its first lead of the game at 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth. 

The Bruins responded in the top of the seventh, tying the contest at 6-6 following back-to-back two-out run-scoring doubles by Bliemeister and Machacek.  

O'Driscoll's line-drive RBI single to right gave BU a 7-6 lead in the top of the eighth inning.

A throwing error by Bliemeister allowed the Wolverines to tie the game at 7-all in the bottom half of the eighth, and a walk-off grand slam by Marisa Vermiglio gave the Wolverines the 11-7 victory. 

Rochford (1-3) was tagged with the loss, allowing 10 runs on 11 hits with five walks and one strikeout in 6.1 innings pitched. 

Skene (3-1) picked up the victory, scattering four runs on eight hits with four walks and six strikeouts in 4.2 innings.  

Bellevue 10, Michigan-Dearborn 8

Randi Henry's three-run dinger helped the Bruins come-from-behind, erasing a six-run deficit, to pull out the 10-8 victory in the nightcap. 

Ashley Young and Henry both drove in three runs in the win. Kelsey Arnold finished 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs. 

Bellevue outhit the Wolverines, 11-10, in the slugfest.  

The Bruins took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a two-run homer to center field by Arnold. 

UMD erupted for eight runs in the top of the fourth sparked by back-to-back homers from Skene and Makenna Millhorn to lead off the inning. 

Young's sacrifice fly to left field cut the deficit to 8-3 in the bottom of the fourth frame. 

The Bruins roared back with seven runs in the bottom of the fifth, sparked by a two-run single to left field by Young, and a huge three-run homer to left field by pinch-hitter Henry, giving BU the lead back at 10-8.  

Brock was credited with the win, improving to 1-1 on the season. She allowed just one hit while striking out two batters in the final three innings of the contest.