Bruins top Missouri Valley, blanked by Avila at KC Softball Invite
Bellevue edged out a 4-3 win over Missouri Valley before being shutout by Avila on Sunday afternoon, taking a split on day one of the KC Softball Invitational.
Missouri Valley Box Score
Avila Box Score
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The Bellevue University softball team split a pair of games at the KC Softball Invitational on Sunday afternoon. BU began the day with a 4-3 win over Missouri Valley before suffering an 8-0, run-rule loss to Avila.
The Bruins move to 2-3 on the season. Missouri Valley opens their season at 0-1 while Avila improves to 2-3.
The Bruins will conclude the tournament on Monday with games against Park University at 2 p.m. and MidAmerican Nazarene University at 4 p.m.
Bellevue 4, Missouri Valley 3
The Bruins took advantage of six walks and two wild pitches by MVC starter Kim Horsten en route to a 4-3 victory over Missouri Valley in the opener.
Atiana Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch by Horsten to give the Bruins an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Horsten was replaced by Chloe Shuff in the bottom of the second after giving up back-to-back bases-loaded walks, increasing the BU advantage to 3-0. A sacrifice fly to center field by Katie Cunningham scored Rodriguez from third, making it 4-0 after two complete innings.
The Vikings sliced the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fourth on a two-run single through the right side by Quinlynn Keller.
A solo home run to center field by Caitlyn Vela pulled MVC to within a run at 4-3 in the top of the fifth frame.
Cory Carrillo replaced BU starter Katie Cunningham in the top of the sixth inning and retired five straight batters, including three strikeouts while earning her second save of the season.
Cunningham (1-1) was credited with the win, scattering five hits with one walk and two strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work.
Horsten (0-1) was tagged with the loss, giving up four runs on one hit with six walks and two Ks in 1.1 innings in the circle.
Avila 8, Bellevue 0 (5 Innings)
McKayla Cotton (1-1) limited the Bruins to just two hits in Sunday's second game as Avila shutout Bellevue 8-0 in five innings.
The Eagles opened the scoring in the first with Kennedee Lara plating Chelsea Kurtz with a sacrifice.
Avila exploded for six runs in the second inning. Ka'Zem Wood started things with a two-run home run, and Lara drove in another with a ground ball. Stephanie Hayes added a two-run shot of her own, and Brooke Belflower jacked a solo shot.
Katie Wentworth brought the lead to 8-0 when she singled home a run in the fourth.
Savannah Gunn (0-2) was charged with allowing seven runs on seven hits, including three homers, in just 1.1 innings of work.
Abby Dworak allowed a run on four hits in 2.2 innings of relief.
Lexi Blankenfeld and Liana McMurtry each singled in the loss.