BU cruises in opener, stunned in nightcap

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The #23 Bellevue University baseball team saw their bats come alive in the warm Florida air by scoring a 10-2 victory over #24 Keiser University in the opener before suffering a stunning 8-7 walk-off defeat in the nightcap in a non-conference double-header on Saturday afternoon at Keiser's Silvester Field.

Records:

#23 Bellevue: 5-8
#24 Keiser: 13-6

Game One: BU 10, KU 2

Bellevue pounded out a season-high 15 hits and used a 5-run fifth inning to turn a one-run game into a comfortable 8-2 lead as the Bruins downed Keiser in game one of Saturday's double-header.

Bruin starter Stephen Knapp (2-2) turned in a dominant eight-inning performance on the hill. He limited the Seahawks to just two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out five. He faced the minimum in six of his eight innings.

Keiser struck first with a pair of runs in the home half of the second. Juan De la Cruz drove home Garrett Hall on a sac fly and Nick Diaz doubled in Nate VanKan.

Bellevue responded with two runs in the third inning. Kory Longaker drove in Austin Alexander before Brandon Sparks came around to score on a throwing error on the play.

The Bruins took the lead an inning later with some solid situational hitting. Following a leadoff double by Riley Baasch, Tommy Hansen moved him to third on a sac bunt and Daniel Teasley chased him in with a productive ground out.

In the pivotal fifth inning, each of the first six BU batters reached base as Bellevue exploded for five runs in the frame. Cody Banks chased in the first run on a fielder's choice in which Keiser was unable to record an out before back-to-back two-run singles from Baasch and Hansen pushed Bellevue's lead to six runs.

Keiser had a chance to steal some momentum back in the bottom half of the fifth when they loaded the bases but Teasley made a running catch to end the inning and leave the bases loaded and keep Bellevue's 8-2 lead in tact.

BU tacked on insurance runs in each the eighth and ninth innings courtesy of a JT Patterson double that scored Longaker and Alexander's sac fly to score Teasley.

Eight Bruins recorded at least one hit in the ballgame led by Longaker and Hunter Jury who each registered three-hit games.

Chad Tworek (2-1) was saddled with the loss after he was chased from the game following BU's big fifth inning. In five innings of work, he allowed eight runs (five earned) on nine hits and was hampered by his defense's four errors.

Game Two: KU 8, BU 7

Keiser scored four two-out runs in the bottom of the seventh, including a walk-off, two-run home run to rally from a three-run deficit to stun Bellevue 8-7 and pick up a split on the day.

The BU offense picked up right where it left off at the end of game one, scoring three two-out runs in the top of the first inning. The Bruins got an RBI-double off the bat of JT Patterson and Riley Baasch followed that up with a two-run shot to give the Bruins an early 3-0 lead.

Keiser scored a run in the bottom of the first and BU answered in the top of the second.

The Seahawks tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the third. Juan De la Cruz got things started by leading off the frame with a solo home run while Nate VanKan delivered an RBI-single and Nick Diaz chased in another with a sac fly.

Bellevue got all three of those runs back on one swing from Hunter Jury in the fifth, as Jury drove a pitch over the left-center field wall to put the Bruins ahead 7-4.

Derek Browne (0-1) took the loss as he couldn't record the final out. He picked up two outs in the first three batters he faced but a two-out walk to Nate VanKan, a two-run double from Drew Reilly, and Diaz's walk-off two-run shot completed the Keiser comeback.

Jarrett Poh threw effectively over six innings but did not factor in the decision. He did well to minimize damage allowing three earned runs on seven hits and four walks to get BU into the final inning with a three-run lead.

Keiser starter Jake Voss lasted just 0.2 innings, exiting after a Tommy Hansen single in the first, with an apparent injury.

Fisher Cole (3-2) picked up the win for the Seahawks with two scoreless innings of relief work. He allowed just one hit and struck out a batter.

Up Next:

Bellevue and Keiser conclude their three-game set with tomorrow's rubber game. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. from Silvester Field.