Bruins sweep Northwestern, 8-5, 8-6

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The Bellevue University softball team recorded its first doubleheader sweep of the season, knocking off Northwestern (Iowa) College 8-5 and 8-6 Tuesday night at Hall of Fame Fields.

BU improved to 8-11 on the season, while Northwestern dropped to 2-12 overall.

The Bruins will host Grand View University in a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Thursday (May 24).

Bellevue 8, Northwestern 5
The Bruins used a five-run third inning en route to the 8-5 win in the opener. Kathryn Wardian and Allie Bartley both drove in three runs for the BU offense and Amanda Neumann fanned nine batters while improving to 5-5 on the season.

Glory Benson's RBI single to right center gave the Raiders an early 1-0 advantage in the top of the first inning. Bellevue tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Neumann.

A bases-loaded walk to Wardian in the third gave the Bruins their first lead at 2-1. A fielding error by Raider pitcher Keely Bracelin and a bases-clearing triple by Bartley extended the lead to 6-1.

Northwestern got a run back in the top of the fourth on an RBI single to left field by Rachel Harris.

The Raiders scored three runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by a two-run homer by Kami Kuhlmann bringing Northwestern to within one run at 6-5.

The Bruins responded with a two-run homer by Wardian in the bottom of the fifth to give BU an 8-5 cushion.

Game 1 Line Score
Northwestern...100 130 0 - 5 10 3
Bellevue............105 020 x - 8 9 1
W: Neumann (5-5)
L: Bracelin (1-4)
2B: NW - VandeVoort; BU - Neumann
3B: BU - Bartley
HR: NW - Kuhlmann; BU - Wardian

Bellevue 8, Northwestern 6
Brooke Ellis went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs and Neumann finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to lead the Bruins to the 8-6 win in the nightcap. Bartley got the win, scattering six hits and giving up one earned run while striking out four Raider batters.

Consecutive doubles by Shelby Johnson and Alex Price gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Bellevue quickly responded with a solo shot by Katie Malloy in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 1-1.

A two-run homer to right field by Ellis pushed the lead to 3-1 in the third.

Northwestern took the lead at 4-3 in the top of the fourth, scoring three unearned runs on two Bruin fielding errors.

Bellevue regained the lead in bottom of the fourth at 5-4, scoring two runs on two Raider fielding errors.

Northwestern tied the game at 5-all with a solo home run by Johnson to right field in the sixth inning. The Raiders took the lead later in the inning on an RBI single by Harris to left field.

Neumann's two-run double and an RBI single by Ellis gave Bellevue an 8-6 lead in the bottom of the sixth and Bartley held the Raiders scoreless in the seventh to gain the victory.

Game 2 Line Score
Northwestern...010 302 0 - 6 6 3
Bellevue...........012 202 x - 8 11 6
W: Bartley (3-1)
L: VandeVoort (0-2)
2B: NW - Johnson, Price; BU: Wees, Neumann
HR: BU - Malloy, Ellis; NW - Johnson