Bruins salvage split in final day at THE Spring Games

Dordt Box Score
Judson Box Score

CLERMONT, Fla. -- After dropping a hard-fought contest against Dordt University, 6-4, in eight innings, the Bellevue University softball team rebounded with a 6-0 shutout over Judson University in the Bruins' final day of action at THE Spring Games. 

The Bruins moved to 8-11 on the season with the split.  

Bellevue will travel to Lake Wales, Fla. tomorrow (Mar. 9) for an 11 a.m. (central time) doubleheader at Warner University. 

Dordt 6, Bellevue 4 (8 innings)

Dordt scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning and held on for the 6-4 victory over the Bruins in BU's opening game of the day. 

The Bruins grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, scoring on an error by DU shortstop Emma Groen. 

Dordt answered in the top of the fourth frame with a two-run single to right field by Lauren Steenstra to give the Defenders a 2-1 advantage. 

Alexa Sidel launched her team-leading fourth home run of the season to tie the contest at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth. 

Steenstra's RBI single to center field pushed the Defenders back in front, 3-2, in the top of the sixth. 

Leslie Egan's run-scoring double to center field knotted the contest at 3-3 in the bottom half of the sixth. 

Dordt used RBI singles by Chloe Kreuz and Ashtyn Grisson and an RBI double to center field by Steenstra to push ahead, 6-3, in the top of the eighth inning. 

The Bruins pulled to within two runs at 6-4 in the bottom of the eighth following an error by Groen that allowed Emma Crisman to score. With runners on second and third and two outs, Jadyn Faber closed out the contest by inducing a groundout. 

Cory Carrillo (0-2) suffered the loss, giving up three runs on three hits with no walks and six strikeouts in four innings of work. 

Faber (2-0) was credited with the win, allowing one hit with two strikeouts in two innings in the circle. 

Atiana Rodriguez, Breanne McMurtry, and Madison Machacek all finished with two hits in the loss.  

Steenstra finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a double to lead the DU offense. 

Bellevue 6, Judson 0

Katie Cunningham registered a no-hitter, and the Bruins used a big sixth inning en route to the 6-0 shutout over Judson in the finale. BU outhit the Eagles, 11-0, in the victory. 

After Breanne McMurtry tripled to right field, Machacek's RBI single to left field gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. 

Bellevue exploded for five runs on six hits in the top of the sixth to take a 6-0 lead. The Bruins scored on an RBI single to left field by Machacek, a run-scoring infield single by Lexi Blankenfeld, an RBI double to left field by Sidel, and a two-run single to left field by Liana McMurtry. 

Cunningham did not allow a hit in the complete-game win, improving to 5-4 on the season. She struck out six Eagles in the victory.