BU pitching, defense deal OCU first loss, 7-1

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- The Bruins scored five runs over the first two innings to back Blake Crippen's quality start as the #7 Bellevue University baseball team defeated (RV) Oklahoma City University 7-1 on Saturday at Denney Crabaugh Field at Jim Wade Stadium.

The Bruins improved their overall record to 3-4 with the win while OCU suffered their loss, snapping an eight-game win streak to open the season.

Blake Crippen (1-0) threw six innings of one-run, six hit ball to pick up the win, striking out three against three walks.

BU jumped on Stars right-hander Jacob Burkett early and often, putting up five runs on four hits in the first two frames. Burkett (1-1) settled in from there, delivering two more innings of one-hit ball for four innings of work.

Alec Ackerman delivered a three-hit game, going 3-5. Brendan Luther (2-4) and Jake Lacey (2-3) also notched multi-hit games.

Ackerman opened the scoring with one out in the first. His infield single and subsequent OCU error allowed Luther, who was hit by a pitch, to score from first. Logan Grant followed up with a double to left-center plating Ackerman and came around to score on a throwing error to batters later.

Bellevue mounted a two-out rally in the second. With a runner on second, Luther came through with an RBI-single to score courtesy runner Takumi Maeno, before being chased home by Ackerman's base knock.

Barrett Daniel singled home a run in the bottom of the second to put Oklahoma City on the board. With two runners on and just one out, the Stars had a chance to cut further into the lead but Crippen induced Hunter Brown to ground into a double play to end the threat.

Tradd Richardson drove in a run with a two-out, bases loaded hit by pitch in the fifth to provide BU a five-run cushion.

Crippen ran into some trouble in the home half as Oklahoma City loaded the bases but struck out Aiden Van Rensum to end the inning. He worked around a leadoff single in the sixth with an inning-ending around-the-horn double play, the fourth turned by the Bruins, before yielding to the bullpen.

Nick Gravel provided an insurance run with a sac fly in the seventh to provide the final margin.

Brady Toth worked three scoreless innings of relief, striking out six against a pair of hits and a solitary walk, to pick up his first save of the season.

Bellevue returns to the Sooner State next weekend for a three-game series against (RV) Science & Arts (5-3) at Bill Smith Ballpark.