Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Bruins top UNOH 10-5, shut out No. 6 MU, 3-0, in finale
March 13, 2026

Bruins top UNOH 10-5, shut out No. 6 MU, 3-0, in finale

Video Box Score Box Score

MELBOURNE, Fla. — Bellevue University closed the Space Coast Spring Games with a dominant Friday sweep, topping the University of Northwestern Ohio, 10-5, in the morning opener before stunning No. 6-ranked Madonna University, 3-0, in the afternoon finale. The Bruins improved to 9-11 on the season with the pair of victories.

Mariah Unverzagt delivered the capstone performance of the day, tossing a complete-game shutout against the Crusaders — who entered the afternoon 20-1 and riding a seven-game winning streak — to hand Madonna its first shutout loss of the season.

Game 1: Bellevue University 10, University of Northwestern Ohio 5

Bellevue University overcame an early deficit by erupting for nine runs in the third inning, snapping the University of Northwestern Ohio's three-game winning streak in a 10-5 victory at the Space Coast Spring Games.

The Bruins improved to 8-11 with the win, while UNOH fell to 10-8.

How It Happened

The Racers struck first in the top of the first when Hailee Edgell lined a two-run triple to left field with two outs, plating both Dominique Baker and Kimberly Hernandez to stake UNOH to a 2-0 lead. Bellevue answered immediately in the bottom half when Kaitlyn Fisher tripled to right field and scored on a Marguerite Brown RBI single to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Hernandez added a two-run home run to center field in the top of the third, scoring Tayler Braun to push the Racers' lead to 4-1. That blast prompted a pitching change, with Carly Bertolini entering in relief of starter Lindsey Dressman.

The Bruins responded with a nine-run surge in the bottom of the third to seize control. Brown singled and Mariah Unverzagt reached on a shortstop error to score Laila Fiscus, trimming the deficit to 4-2. After a passed ball advanced both runners, Breanne McMurtry walked to load the bases before Leslie Egan coaxed an RBI walk to plate Brown and make it 4-3. Miranda Garcia followed with an RBI single to center to score Unverzagt and even the game at 4-4. Macie Wyman then doubled to left field, plating both Egan and McMurtry to give Bellevue a 6-4 advantage. Savannah Short immediately followed with a two-run double of her own to push the lead to 8-4. Brown reached on a first-base error to score Short, and Unverzagt capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to plate Fiscus, extending BU's lead to 10-4.

UNOH added a run in the top of the seventh on a pinch-hit RBI groundout by Mallory Horvath to set the final at 10-5.

Bertolini earned the victory, improving to 3-4. She allowed just one run on three hits over 4.1 innings of relief work, striking out two. Dressman started and allowed four runs on four hits in 2.2 innings. Lanie Wooten took the loss for UNOH, falling to 5-6 after surrendering seven runs in 2.1 innings. Allison Feuerbacher provided 3.0 scoreless innings in relief for the Racers.

Inside the Numbers

  • Bellevue: 10 runs on 8 hits, 0 errors, 5 LOB; UNOH: 5 runs on 7 hits, 3 errors, 3 LOB
  • Bellevue went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position
  • Three UNOH errors in the decisive third inning contributed to two unearned Bruin runs
  • Wyman and Short each drove in two runs with back-to-back doubles during the nine-run burst

Game 2: Bellevue University 3, No. 6 Madonna University 0

Unverzagt went the distance in the afternoon, scattering five hits over seven innings to blank the Crusaders and deal Madonna its first shutout loss of the season. The junior right-hander walked two and induced 13 groundouts — finishing with a 13-7 groundout-to-flyout ratio — to keep the No. 6 offense in check from first pitch to last.

How It Happened

The Bruins broke through in the top of the second against starter Sara Austin, manufacturing two runs without an extra-base hit. Miranda Garcia led off with a walk and Breanne McMurtry singled to left field to put two runners on. Leslie Egan moved both up with a sacrifice bunt, and Macie Wyman's groundout to second base plated Garcia to open the scoring. Savannah Short followed with an RBI single to center to score McMurtry and push the BU advantage to 2-0.

Bellevue had a chance to extend its cushion in the top of the fifth when Fisher singled and Brown doubled to right field to put runners at second and third, but Unverzagt popped up, Garcia grounded out to the pitcher, and McMurtry flied out to left to strand two runners and leave the score unchanged. Unverzagt then made sure Madonna didn't capitalize on the momentum shift, snuffing out the Crusaders' best threat of the afternoon in the bottom half. Regan Finkbeiner walked and Ashley Rosiewicz reached on a fielder's choice before Brynn Anteau singled to right to put runners at the corners. Rosiewicz broke for home on the play, but Unverzagt and Brown cut her down with a relay from catcher to shortstop back to catcher to end the inning and preserve the 2-0 lead.

The Bruins added an insurance run in the seventh against reliever Anna Battagin, who had replaced Austin. Fisher singled to right and moved into scoring position on a Brown groundout before Unverzagt singled to push Fisher to third. Fisher came home on a second-base error — the run unearned — to stretch the lead to 3-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, Unverzagt navigated one final stir when Ella Thomas singled to right and advanced to second on a Faith Peschke groundout. Finkbeiner then popped up to Fisher at shortstop for the second out, but Thomas moved to third on a passed ball to put the potential first of three runs needed 90 feet away. Rosiewicz then grounded out to Fisher to close out the shutout and send the Bruins to the victory.

Fisher capped a remarkable defensive afternoon at shortstop, recording five putouts and five assists against the Crusaders — accounting for 10 outs single-handedly and proving as impactful with her glove as she was with her bat.

Unverzagt earned the victory, improving to 3-3. Austin absorbed the loss, falling to 2-2 after allowing three runs — two earned — on six hits over six innings, walking three and striking out two.

Inside the Numbers

  • Bellevue: 3 runs on 7 hits, 3 errors, 9 LOB; Madonna: 0 runs on 5 hits, 1 error, 8 LOB
  • Madonna went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position; Bellevue finished 2-for-10
  • Unverzagt's 13-7 groundout-to-flyout ratio was the backbone of the shutout effort
  • It marked the first time this season the Crusaders were held without a run

Top Performers

Bellevue University

University of Northwestern Ohio

  • Kimberly Hernandez — 2-for-2, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
  • Hailee Edgell — 1-for-3, 3B, 2 RBI
  • Tayler Braun — 2-for-4, R

Madonna University

  • Brynn Anteau — 2-for-3
  • Sara Austin — L (2-2), 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Up Next

The Bruins return to Bellevue next week for their home opener at the Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex, hosting the College of Saint Mary at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17. It will mark Bellevue's first-ever game at the new venue.