Bruins, Carroll play to DH split
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Carly Bertolini and Savannah Short delivered a 1-0 win in the opener for the Bellevue University softball team before the Bruins dropped the nightcap 7-5 at the hands of Carroll College in Frontier Conference action on Thursday evening at the Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex.
With the split, Bellevue sees their record move to 17-16 (8-4 FC) as Carroll now stands at 9-11 (4-6 FC) on the year.
Game One: Bellevue 1, Carroll 0
Savannah Short's second-inning double was Bellevue's lone hit in the opener but it was enough in support of starter Carly Bertolini who fired a four-hit shutout to lead Bellevue to a 1-0 win over Carroll to open the series.
That was enough support for Bertolini (7-5) who went the distance in the circle, matching a season-high with six strikeouts against just one walk.
Carroll threatened in the top of the second, putting runners on the corners with just one out before a stolen base upped the pressure but Bertolini struck out Ella Seaman and Kati Slater to escape the jam.
Breanne McMurtry drew a walk leading off the home half of the frame and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Miranda Garcia. After a strikeout, Short ripped the first pitch she saw down the left field line and into the corner to chase home McMurtry with the game's lone run.
Bertolini held the Fighting Saints to just a pair of base runners the rest of the way.
The Bruins looked to add some insurance in the sixth after walks to Bertolini and Mariah Unverzagt to open the inning but a fielder's choice and a couple of fly balls saw BU come up empty.
Kennedy Venner (4-4) was the tough luck loser for Carroll, despite limiting BU to just the one run across five innings of one-hit ball. She struck out eight Bruin hitters and walked four.
Game Two: Carroll 7, Bellevue 5
A four-run seventh capped Carroll's comeback bid in game two of the series. Brooke Thompson pulled the Fighting Saints to within a run with a run-scoring single. Ella Seaman reached on an error two batters later that scored a run and a second bobble on the play allowed Carroll to take their first lead of the day. Tayelynn Puyleart chased home and insurance run with a single through the left side for a two-run advantage.
Marguerite Brown staked the Bruins to a 1-0 lead in the third with a sac fly and Breanne McMurtry drove in Mariah Unverzagt to double the early lead.
Daniela Ramirez extended the lead with two outs in the fourth, singling home Miranda Garcia who had led off the inning with a base hit.
Carroll responded the next half inning. Madison Walker doubled to the fence in right-center chasing in a pair of runs before being lifted for a pinch runner. Taylor Sayers followed with a knock to center to bring home Simone with the tying run.
With the score still tied in the bottom of the sixth, Unverzagt put BU back in front, delivering a two-run double of her own to right center that scored Laila Fiscus and Ramirez.
Lindsey Dressman (2-1) took the loss in the circle, being tagged for four runs on six hits and a trio of walks in 2.1 innings of relief. Just one of the four runs allowed by Dressman was earned.
Kathryn Emmert (3-1) went the distance for Carroll to get the win, allowing five runs on 10 hits and striking out seven against a pair of walks.
Ramirez led the offensive charge for BU in game two, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Unverzagt (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, run) and Garcia (2-4, run) also delivered multi-hit games.
Up Next:
Bellevue and Carroll wrap up their four-game set tomorrow with a 2 p.m. double header from the Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex.