Bats silenced on day two of Warner Classic

LAKE WALES, Fla. -- The Bellevue University baseball team was limited to just three runs in a pair of losses on Friday at the Warner Classic. The Bruins fell to #4 St. Thomas University 7-1 to begin the day before suffering a 3-2 extra-inning setback to Judson University.

St. Thomas improved to 15-8 with their win over BU while Judson picked up their first victory after beginning the season with nine-straight losses. Bellevue falls to 13-7 with the sweep.

Game One: STU 7, BU 1

St. Thomas used a four-run fourth inning to break open a 3-1 game and take the opener from Bellevue.

The Bobcats struck for a pair of runs in the second inning, scoring on both a passed ball and wild pitch.

Jack Khawly singled home Joey Thompson for a 3-0 lead before Bellevue got a run back in the top of the fourth on an RBI-single by Payton Higgins to plate Tyler Knox.

Knox finished the game 3-for-4, accounting for a third of Bellevue's hits in the contest.

Graham Cahill (2-1) took the loss allowing seven runs (four earned) on seven hits and a trio of walks in 3.1 innings.

The BU bullpen worked 2.2 scoreless innings of relief.

St. Thomas' Ernesto Pino (4-0) collected the win, limiting Bellevue to just the one run while scattering seven hits and striking out five over five innings of work.

Game Two: JU 3, BU 2 (9 Innings)

Judson's Dayne Frederick drove in JJ Brennan with a ninth inning sac fly for the eventual game-winning run.

Neither team scored, while combining for just five hits, during the seven scheduled innings before the sides traded runs in a wild eighth.

Judson broke the deadlock with Josh Golibrzuch scoring on a wild pitch after being placed on second to begin the inning and advancing to third on an error. With two outs, Alec Spang singled home Adam Zeratsky but another runner was thrown out at third to end the inning.

Payton Higgins took his place on second to begin the home half of the eighth and took third on a base hit by Cody Banks. Following a pitching chance, Banks stole second ahead of a pair of flyouts by Bruin hitters. A walk to Vincent Napolitano loaded the bases for Rigo Duarte who came up with a two-run single to left to tie the game.

After Judson plated a run in the ninth, Bellevue had chances in the home half but left a pair of runners aboard as the Eagles held on.

Charlie Patterson fired seven shutout innings for the Bruins in which he struck out 10, walked two, and allowed three hits but did not factor in the decision.

Derek Browne (1-2) took the loss in relief. Despite not allowing an earned run, he issued a pair of walks and allowed two hits leading to three unearned runs.

Judson starter Jacob Williams also did not factor in the decision. He threw 7+ innings of quality baseball, being charged with a pair of runs (one earned) on three hits. Tyler Sloan (1-0) picked up with win with two innings of one-hit relief.

Up Next:

Bellevue plays Brewton-Parker College tomorrow in the third place game of the Warner Classic.