Bruins split at the Spring Games on Friday
The Bellevue University softball team split a pair of games Friday at the Spring Games, downing Missouri Baptist, 4-1, in the opener, before being shut out by Florida National, 3-0, in the nightcap.
Missouri Baptist Box Score
Florida National Box Score
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Bellevue University softball team split a pair of games Friday at the Spring Games, downing Missouri Baptist, 4-1, in the opener, before being shut out by Florida National, 3-0, in the nightcap.
The split moves the Bruins to 9-7 on the season.
The Bruins conclude the tournament on Saturday (Mar. 7) with a 1:45 p.m. contest against St. Xavier and a 4 p.m. matchup with St. Ambrose.
Bellevue 4, Missouri Baptist 1
A 3-run homer by Emily Rochford and the solid pitching effort of Lauren Jurek proved to be the difference in the Bruins' 4-1 victory over Missouri Baptist in the opening game of the day.
Rochford launched her team-leading sixth home run of the season, a three-run blast over the center-field fence to give the Bruins a 3-0 advantage in the top of the third inning.
MBU got on the board in the bottom of the fifth, scoring on a BU fielding error by third baseman Madison Machacek, slicing the lead to 3-1.
The Bruins regained a three-run advantage on Maricela Egan's RBI infield single that scored Mya Montero from third, giving BU a 4-1 edge in the top of the sixth inning.
The Spartans got two runners in scoring position with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Jurek induced two groundouts and a popup to secure the 4-1 victory.
Jurek improved to 3-0 on the season, scattering seven hits with no walks and no earned runs, while striking out three in seven innings of work.
Delissa Dennison (1-1) was tagged with the loss, giving up five hits and three runs, with one walk and six strikeouts in five innings in the circle.
Florida National 3, Bellevue 0
Natasha Trujillo tossed a six-hit shutout and the Bruins could not capitalize on scoring opportunities as the Conquistadors registered the 3-0 shutout over BU in the nightcap.
Montero went 2-for-3 and Ellie Bliemeister belted a triple in the loss.
FNU grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double to left field by Valerie Ramano that scored Taylor Turner from second.
The Conquistadors made it 2-0 in the top of the third on Trujillo's infield single RBI that plated Gabryella Hay, who led off the inning with a triple to right field.
Bliemeister led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple to right field and Rochford was hit by Trujillo to give BU a scoring opportunity. Trujillo, however, ended the threat by striking out Machacek to keep the score at 2-0 heading into the seventh inning.
Two wild pitches by Brieanna Brock allowed FNU's third run of the game in the top of the seventh, pushing the margin to 3-0.
After Montero led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to center field, Trujillo induced two straight out force outs and a strikeout to end the game.