BU defeats Thomas, Lourdes; advance to Warner Invite title game

Thomas Box Score
Lourdes Box Score

LAKE WALES, Fla. -- The Bellevue University baseball team won its fifth-straight game Friday at the Warner University Invitational, defeating Thomas (Ga.) University 5-4 and Lourdes University 11-3.

The No. 17 Bruins (11-4-1) advance to the tournament championship game and will play an opponent to be determined tomorrow (March 9) at 3:30 p.m. EST.

Bellevue 5, Thomas 4

Dusty Kerns and Brian Embery combined for six hits, three runs and two RBIs to lead the Bruins to a 5-4 win over Thomas (13-8) in the opener.

Embery tallied a two-out RBI single that scored Kerns who doubled as BU took an early lead in the first inning.

The Night Hawks scored a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning on Austin Corbitt's sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1.

Ryan Knutz recorded a two-run RBI single and Chandler McLaren added an run-scoring hit as the Bruins took a 4-1 lead in the fourth.

Once again, TU answered back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at 4-4. The Night Hawks scored their runs on a single, a BU error and sacrifice fly.

Embery notched his third RBI of the game with a double in the fifth to give the Bruins the lead back, 5-4.

After TU put two runners on in the seventh inning, BU starter Robert Greco recorded a game-ending double-play to give the Bruins their sixth one-run win of the season.

Greco notched his second complete game, striking out seven, as he improved to 3-1 on the year.

Kurtis Gens took the loss for the Night Hawks, falling to 3-2.

Bellevue 11, Lourdes 3

BU scored in the first four innings and outhit Lourdes (5-8) 13-7 en route to the 11-3 win in the nightcap.

The Bruins took advantage of an error and two hit batters to take a quick 2-0 edge in the first inning.

LU evened the game at 2-2 in the second on RBIs by Garrett Jex and Mark Oehlers.

Kyle Kinman gave BU the lead back with a two-out two-run single that scored Andy Smolinski and Knutz.

BU exploded for six runs on five hits to open a 10-2 lead in the bottom of the third. Kerns, Zach Clark, Kinman and Tanner Moore each tallied RBIs in the frame.

Henry Alterado recorded his first RBI of the season with a single to right field that scored Nate Mullins who led the fourth inning off with a single.

The Gray Wolves scored their third run of the game on Cole Fitzgerald's sacrifice fly in the top half of the fifth inning to make the score 11-3.

Kody McFarland (1-1) earned his first win of the season, recording seven strikeouts in five complete innings.

Lee Lovejoy fell to 1-2 on the year, allowing six runs in 2.1 innings of work.