Bruins run-rule Fighting Bees to stay alive

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BELLEVUE, Neb. — Bellevue University scored in seven of eight innings and defeated St. Ambrose University, 11-1, in eight innings Tuesday night in an elimination game at the NAIA National Championship Opening Round — Bellevue Bracket at Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex.

The Bruins improved to 49-5 and advanced to face Nelson University in an elimination game at noon Wednesday, May 13. SAU ended its season at 33-22. The win also marked the 900th career victory for Bellevue head coach Duane Monlux, who is 900-400-5 in 25 seasons as a head coach, including 668-233-3 in his 16th season at BU. The Bruins are making their 28th NAIA National Tournament appearance and are pursuing the program's 17th trip to the Avista-NAIA World Series.

How It Happened

Bellevue, playing as the visiting team on the scoreboard, went in front in the top of the first after Nick Gravel reached on an error and Oak Held followed with an RBI double to center field.

Dylan Holmes extended the lead to 2-0 with a solo home run to left center to open the second inning, and Carter Claerhout made it 3-0 with a two-out solo homer down the right-field line in the third.

SAU got on the board in the bottom of the third when Eric Gonzalez doubled to center, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on Quinn Flanagan's two-out single to right field.

The Bruins answered in the fourth. Holmes singled through the left side, Jackson Polk entered as a pinch runner, and Anthony Lind moved Polk to second with a groundout. Mason Spellecy followed with an RBI single to left field to push Bellevue's lead to 4-1.

St. Ambrose threatened in the fifth after Gonzalez walked and Michael Rago singled to put runners at first and second. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, but Kody Butt ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts of Flanagan and Filip Milatovic.

BU added another run in the sixth when Lind singled and scored on Jaylan Ruffin's two-out double down the left-field line. The Fighting Bees put two on with nobody out in the bottom half, but Butt got Matthew McBrien to ground into a double play before striking out Gonzalez to end the inning.

Bellevue stretched the lead to 7-1 in the seventh. Claerhout walked, Ayden Makarus singled, and Xavier Lerma drove in Claerhout with a single to right center. Holmes was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Lind brought in Makarus with a sacrifice fly to right.

The Bruins broke the game open with four runs in the eighth. Ruffin reached on an error, moved to second on Gravel's sacrifice bunt, and scored when Held singled and advanced on a fielding error. Claerhout singled, Makarus walked, and Lerma drew a bases-loaded walk before Holmes added an RBI single. Lind drove in the final run on a fielder's choice.

Cannon Close worked the final two innings for BU, striking out four and allowing one hit. He ended the seventh by striking out Michael Stupavsky with runners at the corners, then retired the side in order in the eighth to close out the run-rule victory.

Butt improved to 8-1 after allowing one run on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts over six innings. Close allowed one hit and one walk with four strikeouts over two scoreless innings. Aidan Pieniazek took the loss for SAU, falling to 2-2 after allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in five innings.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 11 runs on 13 hits, 0 errors, 9 LOB; SAU: 1 run on 6 hits, 3 errors, 9 LOB.
• Bellevue went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position; SAU went 1-for-8.
• The Bruins scored in seven of eight innings.
• Bellevue finished with four extra-base hits, including home runs by Dylan Holmes and Carter Claerhout.
• BU pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts and held the Fighting Bees scoreless over the final five innings.

Top Performers

Bellevue University

• Carter Claerhout — 3-for-3, home run, 3 runs, RBI, 2 walks, stolen base
• Dylan Holmes — 3-for-4, home run, 2 RBIs, run, hit by pitch
• Oak Held — 2-for-5, double, run, RBI
• Anthony Lind — 1-for-4, run, 2 RBIs, sacrifice fly
• Kody Butt — W (8-1), 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
• Cannon Close — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

St. Ambrose University

• Quinn Flanagan — 2-for-4, RBI
• Eric Gonzalez — 1-for-2, double, run, walk
• Michael Rago — 1-for-3
• Aidan Pieniazek — L (2-2), 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Up Next

Bellevue advances to face Nelson University in an elimination game at noon Wednesday, May 13, at Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex. The Bruins will be looking to avenge a 9-6 loss to Nelson in BU's opening game of the tournament. The winner will advance to face Indiana University-Southeast in the Bellevue Bracket championship game at 3:30 p.m.