Bruins split midweek doubleheader with Dakota State

BELLEVUE, Neb. — The Bellevue University softball team split a Frontier Conference doubleheader with Dakota State University on Wednesday at the Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex. The Bruins rallied for a 4-3 victory in Game 1 behind a complete-game effort from Carly Bertolini and early run production from Mariah Unverzagt, Kaitlyn Fisher and Marguerite Brown, before the Trojans claimed the nightcap by a 4-1 margin.

Bellevue stands at 19-20 overall and 9-9 in Frontier Conference play. DSU moves to 13-27 overall and 5-15 in league action. It also marked the seventh league split this season.

Game 1: Bellevue University 4, Dakota State University 3

The Bruins overcame an early deficit, utilizing a two-run second inning to take the lead for good, while Bertolini worked out of trouble down the stretch to secure the complete-game victory.

How It Happened

DSU struck immediately in the top of the first inning. After the Trojans loaded the bases, Quincy Hartley drew an RBI walk, and Ally Morrissey followed with an RBI single to center field to give Dakota State a 2-0 edge. Bellevue answered in the bottom half. With runners on first and second, Unverzagt ripped a two-run single to right field, advancing to second on a fielding error and knotting the game at 2-2.

The Bruins claimed the lead in the second inning. Leslie Egan led off with a single to right center and scored when Fisher laced an RBI triple to right field. Brown followed with an RBI single to right, plating Fisher for a 4-2 advantage.

Bertolini settled into a rhythm, keeping the Trojans off the board until the sixth. DSU generated a threat when Alexis Resseguie reached on a fielder's choice and later scored an unearned run on a fielding error at third base, cutting the margin to 4-3. Bertolini clamped down in the seventh, working around a two-out single to center field by Emmalynn Rabe to seal the win.

Bertolini earned the victory, improving to 8-5, after tossing seven innings and allowing six hits, three runs, two earned, with three walks and two strikeouts. Makenna McGee took the loss, falling to 1-4, yielding six hits and four runs, three earned, with two walks over six innings.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 4 runs on 6 hits, 2 errors, 5 LOB; Dakota State: 3 runs on 6 hits, 2 errors, 7 LOB
• Bellevue went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position
• Bertolini threw 113 pitches in her complete-game effort
• Fisher recorded a team-high three total bases with her second-inning RBI triple

Game 2: Dakota State University 4, Bellevue University 1

Dakota State rode a quality start from Maycee Bricker and a timely two-run home run from Quincy Hartley to salvage a split in the second game of the afternoon.

How It Happened

Dakota State opened the scoring in the second inning when Rabe hit a leadoff single, stole second, and scored on Hartley's two-run home run to right field. The Trojans extended their lead to 3-0 in the third when Hannah McFarland singled, stole second, and crossed the plate on Alexia Hayden's RBI double to center field.

Bellevue broke through in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Miranda Garcia launched a solo home run to right center to trim the deficit to 3-1.

DSU manufactured an insurance run in the fifth. Brenley Goebel led off with a double to left field, advanced to third on a groundout by Resseguie, and later stole home as part of a double steal to push the Trojans' lead to 4-1.

The Bruins mounted a threat in the bottom of the sixth. Unverzagt and Garcia delivered back-to-back one-out singles to put runners on first and second, and Macie Wyman reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners. However, Bricker induced a pop-up from Emma Crisman to escape the jam. Savannah Short led off the seventh with an infield single, but Bricker retired the next three batters to finish off the complete game.

Bricker picked up the win to improve to 8-8, holding the Bruins to one run on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts in seven innings. Unverzagt suffered the loss, falling to 5-6. She tossed a complete game, surrendering four runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 1 run on 7 hits, 0 errors, 7 LOB; Dakota State: 4 runs on 7 hits, 0 errors, 4 LOB
• Bellevue went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position
• DSU capitalized on the base paths, swiping three stolen bases compared to zero for BU
• The Bruin defense turned the game's only double play in the sixth inning

Top Performers

(Totals reflect combined numbers from both games unless otherwise noted)

Bellevue University

• Kaitlyn Fisher — 2-for-6, 3B, 2 R, 1 RBI
• Miranda Garcia — 2-for-5, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
• Marguerite Brown — 1-for-6, 1 R, 1 RBI
• Mariah Unverzagt — 2-for-6, 1 RBI
• Leslie Egan — 2-for-6, 1 R
• Carly Bertolini — Win (8-5), 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K (Game 1)
• Mariah Unverzagt — Loss (5-6), 7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (Game 2)

Dakota State University

• Quincy Hartley — 1-for-5, HR, 1 R, 3 RBI
• Emmalynn Rabe — 3-for-6, 2 R
• Alexia Hayden — 1-for-6, 2B, 1 RBI
• Hannah McFarland — 3-for-7, 1 R, 1 BB
• Ally Morrissey — 1-for-6, 1 RBI
• Brenley Goebel — 1-for-6, 2B, 1 R
• Maycee Bricker — Win (8-8), 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (Game 2)
• Makenna McGee — Loss (1-4), 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB (Game 1)

Up Next

The four-game Frontier Conference series with Bismarck State College will now be played on Sunday-Monday, April 19-20. Sunday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. Monday's twinbill will commence at noon.