April 2, 2012
Smolinski drives in winning runs as BU downs Doane, 6-5
CRETE, Neb. -- A three-run double by Dan Smolinski in the top of the ninth inning propelled the Bellevue University baseball team to a dramatic 6-5 win over Doane College Monday night in non-conference action at Ledon Ballfield Complex.
Bellevue improved to 23-12 on the season, winning its eighth-straight contest. The Tigers had their four-game winning streak snapped, falling to 19-10 overall.
Smolinski finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Bruins at the plate. Dusty Kerns went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a home run.
A two-run homer to right field by Kerns gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. The Tigers got one run back in the bottom of the second, scoring on a Bruin throwing error.
The Bruins threatened in the top of the seventh when Brandon Thompson hit a two-out single up the middle and Lance Lutz followed with a double to right field, but Thompson was thrown out at the plate to keep the score at 2-1.
In the top of the eighth, Kerns reached on a fielding error, then advanced to third on a Smolinski single, before scoring on a suicide squeeze by Mason Castillon, to give BU a 3-1 advantage.
Doane got its first extra-base hit of the day in the bottom of the eighth, with a stand-up double by AJ Spanel to left center. Spanel moved to third on a single to right field by Mike Albert and scored on a fielder's choice by Chris Manning to pull Doane to within one run at 3-2. The Tigers tied it with an RBI single to right center by Anthony Dunn that plated Manning. Doane took its first lead of the game at 4-3 with an RBI single to center field by Alex Arkfeld.
Bellevue loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the ninth on two walks and a hit batsmen, before Smolinski drove in three runs with a bases-clearing double to right center field, giving the advantage back to BU, 6-4.
After Robert Greco gave up a double to start the bottom of the ninth, he forced a pair of ground outs, before Mike Albert's RBI single through the right side brought Doane to within one run at 6-5. Manning grounded out to Bruin short stop Tylor Pavel to preserve the BU victory.
Greco earned the win, improving to 4-0 on the season, scattering three hits with one strikeout and no walks in 1.2 innings of relief.
Bellevue..020 000 013 - 6 11 1
Doane......010 000 031 - 5 8 3
W: Greco (4-0)
L: Roth (1-2)
2B: BU, Lutz, Smolinski; DC, Spanel, Flott
HR: BU, Kerns
The Bruins return home for a four-game non-conference series this Friday-Saturday, April 6-7, against Dakota State University. The doubleheaders begin at 1 p.m. both days.
Bellevue improved to 23-12 on the season, winning its eighth-straight contest. The Tigers had their four-game winning streak snapped, falling to 19-10 overall.
Smolinski finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Bruins at the plate. Dusty Kerns went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a home run.
A two-run homer to right field by Kerns gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. The Tigers got one run back in the bottom of the second, scoring on a Bruin throwing error.
The Bruins threatened in the top of the seventh when Brandon Thompson hit a two-out single up the middle and Lance Lutz followed with a double to right field, but Thompson was thrown out at the plate to keep the score at 2-1.
In the top of the eighth, Kerns reached on a fielding error, then advanced to third on a Smolinski single, before scoring on a suicide squeeze by Mason Castillon, to give BU a 3-1 advantage.
Doane got its first extra-base hit of the day in the bottom of the eighth, with a stand-up double by AJ Spanel to left center. Spanel moved to third on a single to right field by Mike Albert and scored on a fielder's choice by Chris Manning to pull Doane to within one run at 3-2. The Tigers tied it with an RBI single to right center by Anthony Dunn that plated Manning. Doane took its first lead of the game at 4-3 with an RBI single to center field by Alex Arkfeld.
Bellevue loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the ninth on two walks and a hit batsmen, before Smolinski drove in three runs with a bases-clearing double to right center field, giving the advantage back to BU, 6-4.
After Robert Greco gave up a double to start the bottom of the ninth, he forced a pair of ground outs, before Mike Albert's RBI single through the right side brought Doane to within one run at 6-5. Manning grounded out to Bruin short stop Tylor Pavel to preserve the BU victory.
Greco earned the win, improving to 4-0 on the season, scattering three hits with one strikeout and no walks in 1.2 innings of relief.
Bellevue..020 000 013 - 6 11 1
Doane......010 000 031 - 5 8 3
W: Greco (4-0)
L: Roth (1-2)
2B: BU, Lutz, Smolinski; DC, Spanel, Flott
HR: BU, Kerns
The Bruins return home for a four-game non-conference series this Friday-Saturday, April 6-7, against Dakota State University. The doubleheaders begin at 1 p.m. both days.