Bruins fall just short in championship game

DICKINSON, N.D. — Bellevue University pushed top-seeded Dickinson State University to the final inning Sunday before falling 5-4 in the championship game of the Frontier Conference Softball Tournament at Bravera Field at the Sanford Sports Complex.

The Bruins ended the season at 25-29 after winning four elimination games to reach the championship round. The Blue Hawks improved to 40-12, extended their winning streak to 24 games, and earned the Frontier Conference's automatic berth to the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round.

How It Happened

Bellevue struck first in the opening inning after Marguerite Brown reached on a fielder's choice and Daniela Ramirez doubled to right. Breanne McMurtry followed with a two-out double to left, scoring Brown, but Ramirez was ruled out at the plate for the final out of the inning as the Bruins took a 1-0 lead.

BU added to the margin in the second. Miranda Garcia reached on an error, moved to third on Savannah Short's single, and scored on Emma Crisman's sacrifice fly to left to make it 2-0.

DSU answered with a two-out run in the bottom half when Viennah Meyer doubled to center and scored on Allyson Farrington's RBI double to right. The Blue Hawks tied the game in the third on Brooke Lijewski's RBI single after Stocktyn Stevenson reached on a bunt single and moved to second on a groundout.

The Bruins reclaimed the lead in the fourth. Short singled to center, Crisman moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt, and Lindsey Dressman entered as a pinch runner. Mariah Unverzagt followed with a two-out double to left, scoring Dressman for a 3-2 Bellevue advantage.

Dickinson State moved in front in the fifth with a three-run inning. Stevenson singled with one out before Lijewski hit a two-run home run to give the Blue Hawks their first lead. Carly Bertolini entered in relief, and Kiley Hubby followed with a solo homer to extend the DSU lead to 5-3.

Ava Jahner retired nine straight Bellevue hitters after Unverzagt's fourth-inning RBI double before Unverzagt broke the stretch with a one-out double to right in the seventh. Ramirez followed two batters later with an RBI single to center, bringing BU within 5-4, but Jahner induced a groundout to end the game.

Unverzagt took the loss, falling to 8-10 after allowing four runs on seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Bertolini worked the final 1.1 innings, allowing one run on one hit with one walk and one strikeout. Jahner improved to 11-2 after going the distance for DSU, allowing four runs on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: four runs on nine hits, one error, six left on base; Dickinson State: five runs on eight hits, one error, five left on base.
• The Bruins went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position, while the Blue Hawks finished 2-for-5.
• Unverzagt went 4-for-4 with two doubles, one RBI, one run scored, and a stolen base.
• Bellevue scored in four different innings and outhit DSU 9-8.
• Ramirez and Short each had two hits for the Bruins.

Top Performers

Bellevue University

• Mariah Unverzagt — 4-for-4, two doubles, one RBI, one run, one stolen base; 4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Daniela Ramirez — 2-for-4, double, one RBI
• Savannah Short — 2-for-3
• Breanne McMurtry — 1-for-3, double, one RBI, one walk
• Emma Crisman — sacrifice fly, sacrifice bunt, one RBI
• Carly Bertolini — 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Dickinson State University

• Brooke Lijewski — 2-for-3, home run, three RBIs, one run
• Kiley Hubby — 2-for-3, double, home run, one RBI, one run
• Stocktyn Stevenson — 2-for-4, two runs
• Ava Jahner — W, 7.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Up Next

Bellevue concluded the 2026 season at 25-29 after advancing to the Frontier Conference Tournament championship game. Dickinson State earned the league's automatic berth to the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round, which will be held May 11-13 at campus sites.