No. 22 BU splits opening-day doubleheader in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — No. 22 Bellevue University split its season-opening doubleheader Saturday at Jim Wade Stadium, falling 5-2 to 16th-ranked Concordia (Neb.) University before pulling out a 9-7 win over Oklahoma City University behind a four-run seventh inning.

The Bruins are 1-1 on the season. Concordia improved to 2-0, while Oklahoma City dropped to 0-6.

Oak Held led BU on the day, going 5-for-8 with four RBIs across the two games.

Game 1: Concordia 5, Bellevue 2

How It Happened

Andrew Fetty's third-inning solo home run broke a 1-1 tie, and Carson Burnett's three-run blast later in the frame gave the Bulldogs breathing room.

Bellevue struck first in the bottom of the first. After a double play erased Nick Gravel's leadoff walk, Carter Claerhout singled, and Riley Schrader walked ahead of Held, who delivered an opposite-field single to plate Claerhout. The Bruins loaded the bases later in the inning but came away with one run.

Concordia tied it in the second when Jimmy Blumberg doubled home Burnett. The Bulldogs then used the long ball to take control in the third, as Fetty homered to start the scoring and Burnett followed later in the inning with a three-run shot.

BU trimmed the margin in the seventh when Anthony Lind tripled to lead off the inning and scored on Mason Spellecy's sacrifice fly, but Bellevue could not draw closer.

Pitching notes: Kenji Miller took the loss (5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K). Alexandre Dionne tossed two scoreless innings in relief (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K). Sam Bespoyasny earned the win for CUNE (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K). Save: Sam Rambajan (1).

Game 2: Bellevue 9, Oklahoma City 7

How It Happened

Bellevue opened the scoring in the third when Conner Boyd scored on a wild pitch.

Oklahoma City answered with two runs in the bottom of the third, as Trent Baker scored on a wild pitch before Aiden Van Rensum brought home Carter Holtorf with a sacrifice fly to give the Stars a 2-1 lead.

BU tied it in the fourth when Boyd walked with the bases loaded to force in Anthony Lind. Oklahoma City responded with two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to move in front, 4-2, aided by a two-run reach-on-error from Van Rensum.

The Bruins evened the game in the fifth. Riley Schrader scored when Lind was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Spellecy followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Held.

Held's RBI single in the sixth pushed BU in front, 5-4, but OKCU surged ahead in the bottom half on Van Rensum's three-run home run.

Bellevue answered in the seventh with four runs to regain the lead for good. Derrick Holmes singled home a run, Claerhout drew a bases-loaded walk, and Held capped the rally with a two-run single to make it 9-7.

Pitching notes: Garrett White started for BU and went 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Brady Baltus earned the win in relief (3.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K), and Brody Burnette recorded the save with the final out.

Inside the Numbers

• BU scored 11 runs on 13 hits on the day.

• Bellevue drew 11 walks and was hit by pitch six times in the two games.

• The Bruins committed three errors, and opponents committed one.

• BU's two opponents hit three home runs on the day (two by CUNE, one by OKCU).

• Bellevue's four-run seventh in Game 2 flipped a 7-5 deficit into a 9-7 win.

Top Performers

Bellevue University: Oak Held (5-for-8, 4 RBI), Carter Claerhout (3-for-6, 2 R), Anthony Lind (3B, R), Brady Baltus (W, 3.0 IP)
Concordia (Neb.) University: Carson Burnett (3-run HR), Andrew Fetty (HR), Jaeden Jordahl (2-for-3, BB)
Oklahoma City University: Aiden Van Rensum (6 RBI, HR), Trent Baker (2 R, 2 SB)

Up Next

Bellevue is back in action Sunday at Denny Crabaugh Field at Jim Wade Stadium with two games against the same teams. The Bruins face Oklahoma City University at 10 a.m. before wrapping up the weekend against Concordia (Neb.) University at 12:30 p.m.