BU settles for split on Day One of Warner Invite
Bellevue earned a 6-2 win over Siena Heights to begin the day but were unable to make a three-run lead stand up against No. 2 St. Thomas.
LAKE, WALES, Fla. -- After a win in the opener and a fast start in game two, the No. 7-ranked Bellevue University baseball team, ultimately, settled for a split on Day One of the 2020 Warner Invitational on Thursday.
The Bruins now stand at 8-9 overall as they downed Siena Heights (0-14) by a score of 6-2 before falling to No. 2 St. Thomas (14-3) by a 6-3 margin.
Game One: BU 6, Siena Heights 2
Bellevue jumped ahead with a three-run second inning, scoring twice on wild pitches and adding another run on Bailey Link's (1-2, RBI, walk) bunt to chase in Josh Benson from third.
After Siena Heights scratched a run across in the third on an RBI-single from Brad South, Blake Berry singled answered with a single to score Benson in the fourth and Bellevue led 4-1.
The Saints again cut the deficit to three runs with a run in the top of the sixth but Riley Baasch (1-3, HR, RBI, run) launched his first home run of the season in the home half of the frame and Link chased in another on a double play ball to put BU ahead by a 6-2 score.
Ty Jordan came on to fire a scoreless seventh and preserve the victory.
Graham Cahill (2-2) earned the victory with six innings of work, allowing just two runs on six hits. He struck out two and walked three.
Christian Jabiro (0-1) took the loss after being chased following two innings on the hill. He allowed three runs on three hits, struck out one, and walked one.
Game Two: St. Thomas 6, BU 3
Bellevue raced out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as the Bruins' first four batters all reached safely as Alec Lee (1-3, RBI) drove in the game's first run. A double play slowed the momentum, despite BU doubling up their lead and Riley Baasch (1-4, 2B, RBI) capped the scoring in the frame with a double to plate Andrew Ishii (1-3, run).
Ernesto Pino, St. Thomas' starter, settled down after the first as he scattered five more hits before exiting after the fifth.
The score remained 3-0 until the Bobcats struck for a pair of runs in the fourth on a 2-run single off the bat of Onelio Perdomo.
Jack Khawly chased in another run on a double play ball an inning later as STU tied the game at 3-all.
After two quick outs to begin the sixth Bruin starter Jarrett Poh (2-2) encountered trouble. Perdomo began a Bobcat rally with a double to left and Alejandro Vazquez put St. Thomas ahead with a two-run homer to left center. A double from Daniel Lowry and a run-scoring single from Kobe Lopez chased Poh. Derek Browne came one to record the final out of the inning but the damage was done.
Poh's final line saw him work 5.2 innings allowing six runs on 10 hits. He struck out two batters and walked three.
Luis Gonzalez (1-0) and Jason Grana (3) earned the win and save, respectively, as each tossed a scoreless inning of relief for St. Thomas.
Blake Berry (2-4, run) and Cody Banks (2-4, run) each had multi-hit games for BU in the loss.
Up Next:
Bellevue continues play in the 2020 Warner Invitational tomorrow with a pair of games. The Bruins face Michigan-Dearborn at 12:30 p.m. from Royals Field and Mount Vernon Nazarene at 4 p.m. from Avon Park.