Five-run third powers Bruins past Flames

BELLEVUE, Neb. — Bellevue University used a five-run third inning to break open a scoreless game and close the regular season with a 7-1 non-conference win over College of Saint Mary on Monday at Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex.

The Bruins improved to 21-27 overall, while the Flames fell to 8-31.

How It Happened

CSM threatened in the first inning when Ella Watts doubled to right center to open the game, but Daniela Ramirez stranded her with a groundout, a popout, and a strikeout. Bellevue put runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings, with Kaitlyn Fisher and Emma Crisman each stealing second, but the game remained scoreless through two.

Mariah Unverzagt entered the circle in the third and worked out of the Flames' biggest early threat. CSM put three runners aboard on a hit batter, a single, and an infield single, but Unverzagt ended the inning with a strikeout to leave the bases loaded.

Bellevue broke through in the bottom half with a five-run inning. Laila Fiscus was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on Fisher's single to center. Fisher stole second and moved to third on Unverzagt's sacrifice bunt before scoring on an error. Ramirez walked, and Miranda Garcia was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Leslie Egan lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Marguerite Brown. Garcia then stole second before Crisman singled to right, bringing home Ramirez and Garcia for a 5-0 lead.

The Bruins added two more runs in the fourth. Fisher singled to shortstop and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Brown delivered an RBI single to right. Ramirez followed with an RBI double to right center, pushing Bellevue's lead to 7-0.

CSM scored its lone run in the sixth on Kynzee McFadden's leadoff home run to center. The Flames added a two-out single later in the inning, but Kierstin Waldow, running for Makenna Earnest, was caught stealing to end the inning. Lindsey Dressman worked the seventh for BU, closing the game with a groundout after CSM put a runner at second.

Unverzagt earned the win to improve to 6-8, scattering two hits with no walks and two strikeouts across the third and fourth innings. Ramirez started and held CSM off the board in the first two frames, allowing two hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Ellie Zoucha allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout over two innings, and Dressman finished with a clean seventh. Shaylynn Campbell took the loss for CSM, allowing five runs, two earned, on four hits with one walk and one strikeout in 2.2 innings.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 7 runs on 7 hits, 1 error, 4 LOB; CSM: 1 run on 7 hits, 1 error, 6 LOB.
• The Bruins went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position, while the Flames finished 1-for-7.
• Bellevue scored all seven runs across the third and fourth innings.
• BU stole five bases, led by Fisher with two.
• The Bruins' pitching staff did not issue a walk and struck out six.
• Four of Bellevue's six RBIs came with two outs.

Top Performers

Bellevue

• Kaitlyn Fisher — 3-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 2 stolen bases
• Daniela Ramirez — 1-for-2, double, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 walk
• Daniela Ramirez — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• Marguerite Brown — 1-for-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI
• Emma Crisman — 1-for-3, 2 RBIs, 1 stolen base
• Mariah Unverzagt — W (6-8), 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

CSM

• Makenna Earnest — 2-for-3
• Kynzee McFadden — 1-for-3, home run, 1 run, 1 RBI
• Kynzee McFadden — 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Ella Watts — 1-for-3, double, hit by pitch
• Shaylynn Campbell — 1-for-3
• Shaylynn Campbell — L (5-16), 2.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Up Next

The Bruins will travel to Dickinson, N.D., from April 30 through May 3 to compete in the Frontier Conference Tournament. Times and pairings will be announced on Tuesday.