BU rolls past CSM in five, edged by Northwestern on late rally
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa — Bellevue University split its Saturday doubleheader at the ASB Sports Complex Softball Classic at the American State Bank Sports Complex, run-ruling College of Saint Mary 12-1 in five innings before No. 17 Northwestern (Iowa) College scored three runs in the top of the seventh to rally past the Bruins, 4-2. Bellevue is 1-3 after the day.
BU pounded out 15 hits in the opener and went 9-for-14 with runners in scoring position, then carried a 2-1 lead into the seventh inning against the Raiders before Northwestern strung together three RBI singles in the final frame.
Game 1: Bellevue University 12, College of Saint Mary 1 (5 innings)
Bellevue scored two runs in the first, four in the third and six in the fifth to close out the run-rule win. Marguerite Brown went 3-for-3 with a double and a walk, while Leslie Egan finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs. Mariah Unverzagt was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and earned the win in the circle.
Unverzagt worked 5.0 innings, allowing one unearned run on seven hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
Ella Watts drove in the lone run for CSM. Kynzee McFadden took the loss, allowing seven runs in 4.0 innings, and Victoria Placzek surrendered five runs in the fifth.
How It Happened
Top 1st: Miranda Garcia lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Kaitlyn Fisher (BU 1-0), then Unverzagt singled to right for an RBI (BU 2-0).
Top 3rd: Unverzagt singled to center for an RBI (BU 3-0), Savannah Short followed with a two-run single (BU 5-0) and Emma Crisman singled to center to drive in a run (BU 6-0).
Top 5th: Crisman added a sacrifice fly (BU 7-0), Laila Fiscus doubled to right-center for an RBI (BU 8-0), Egan doubled to left-center to clear the bases (BU 11-0) and Daniela Ramirez singled to center for an RBI (BU 12-0).
Bottom 5th: Watts singled to center to drive in a run (BU 12-1).
Top Performers
Bellevue University
Leslie Egan: 2-for-3, 2 2B, 3 RBI, R
Marguerite Brown: 3-for-3, 2B, BB, 2 R
Mariah Unverzagt: 3-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 R; W, 5.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Daniela Ramirez: 2-for-3, R, RBI, BB
Savannah Short: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
College of Saint Mary
Ella Watts: 1-for-3, RBI
Kynzee McFadden: L, 4.0 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB
Inside the Numbers
Bellevue: 12 runs on 15 hits, 2 errors; CSM: 1 run on 7 hits, 0 errors.
BU went 9-for-14 with runners in scoring position and did not strike out.
CSM's run was unearned.
Game 2: Northwestern (Iowa) College 4, Bellevue University 2
Bellevue took a 1-0 lead on Miranda Garcia's solo home run in the second and went back in front in the sixth, but Northwestern scored three times in the top of the seventh to pull out the win.
Laila Fiscus doubled and scored in the sixth before Egan singled up the middle to put BU ahead 2-1. Carly Bertolini went the distance in the circle, striking out five.
Ava Gross drove in three runs for Northwestern, including a two-RBI single in the seventh. Allison Koontz earned the win in relief after Audrie Kohl worked the first four innings.
How It Happened
Bottom 2nd: Garcia homered to left-center (BU 1-0).
Top 6th: Gross singled to center to score Rylee Bomgaars (tied 1-1).
Bottom 6th: Fiscus doubled to left, then Egan singled to center for an RBI (BU 2-1).
Top 7th: Cassidy Gors pinch hit and singled in a run (tied 2-2), then Gross singled to center for two RBIs (Northwestern 4-2).
Top Performers
Bellevue University
Miranda Garcia: 1-for-2, HR, RBI, BB
Leslie Egan: 1-for-3, RBI
Laila Fiscus: 1-for-3, 2B, R
Carly Bertolini: L, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Northwestern (Iowa) College
Ava Gross: 2-for-4, 3 RBI
Cassidy Gors: 1-for-1, RBI
Allison Koontz: W, 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Inside the Numbers
Northwestern: 4 runs on 7 hits, 2 errors; Bellevue: 2 runs on 4 hits, 0 errors.
Northwestern scored 3 runs on 4 hits in the seventh.
Northwestern stole 3 bases.
Up Next
The Bruins will travel to Shawnee, Okla., next Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21, for four games at the NAIA Softball Invitational. Bellevue will take on No. 25 Evangel, Mid-America Christian, (RV) Friends and Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) in the two-day tournament.