Softball takes two from Flames, 13-6, 7-5

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
MCAC Standings

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The Bellevue University softball team pounded out 25 hits in a 13-7, 7-5 doubleheader sweep over College of St. Mary in Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference action Saturday afternoon at Hall of Fame Fields. 

Bellevue improved to 28-7 on the season and 8-1 in the MCAC. CSM dropped to 9-16 overall and 6-7 in league play. 

The Bruins will host Peru State College in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 23, beginning at 4 p.m. at Hall of Fame Fields. Bellevue's three seniors, Amanda Neumann, Katie Tew, and Kim Wees will be honored in between games. 

Game 1: Bellevue 13, College of St. Mary 6

The Bruins blasted 14 hits, including three by Alyssa Matoba, en route to the 13-6 win in the opener. Matoba finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Taylor Anderson went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and three RBIs. Kim Wees also drove in three runs, going 2-for-4, including her first home run of the season.

The Flames struck early with a two-run homer by Caitlin Rodenburg in the top of the first, giving CSM a 2-0 advantage.

Bellevue answered in the bottom of the second, scoring six runs, highlighted by a two-run homer by Kim Wees, a two-run single by Matoba, an RBI double by Anderson, and an RBI single by Shelby Kindelin. 

Anderson laced a two-run blast over the center field fence and Luci Mendoza scored on a ground-out RBI by Matoba to extend the BU lead to 9-2 in the bottom of the third. 

Shelby Nosal's RBI double in the top of the fourth cut the lead to 9-3. The Flames made it a three-run game in the fifth after Mariah Gibso's three-run homer trimmed the lead to 9-6.

An RBI single by Wees in the bottom of the fifth gave the Bruins a 10-6 margin. 

The Bruins made the final, 13-6, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by Matoba, a sacrifice fly to center field by Amanda Neumann, and an RBI single to center by Kelsie Bridgeford. 

Amanda Neumann (9-2) earned the win, scattering six hits with two strikeouts and two walks in four innings in the circle. Kindelin collected her first save of the year, allowing two hits with two strikeouts and two walks in the final three innings. 

Game 2: Bellevue 7, College of St. Mary 5

Bridgeford drove in four runs and Taylor Mohler picked up her 10th win of the season as the Bruins took the nightcap, 7-5. 

The Bruins grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single to center field by Bridgeford that plated Matoba. 

After the Bruins took a 3-0 lead in the third on a two-run homer by Katie Malloy, the Flames tied the game in the top of the fourth on a three-run double by Natasha Chap.

Bellevue quickly answered in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs, highlighted by a bases-loaded double by Bridgeford and an RBI single up the middle by Neumann. 

The Flames made things interesting when Jamie Zimmer's two-run homer cut the lead to 7-5 in the top of the seventh. With the tying run at the plate, Neumann retired three-straight batters, including striking out two to secure the win. 

Mohler (10-3) got the victory, scattering four hits, while striking out five batters and walking three in six innings of work.