Bruins upset No. 4 Central Baptist, earn split

MCAC Standings

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The Bellevue University softball team rebounded from a 12-2 loss in the opener, to upset No. 4-ranked Central Baptist College, 4-3, in the nightcap, earning a doubleheader conference split Friday afternoon at Hall of Fame Fields.

The Bruins (28-14, 1-1 MCAC) will continue conference action on Saturday morning when they host a 10 a.m. doubleheader against Oklahoma Wesleyan University. With the second-game loss, CBC suffered just its fourth loss of the season, falling to 33-4 overall and 5-1 in league play.

Game 1: Central Baptist 12, Bellevue 2 
With a strong wind out of the south, the two teams combined for seven home runs in the opener as Central Baptist cruised to the 12-2 win in six innings. 

The Mustangs got home runs from five different players and Jessica Bock struck out nine, allowing just three hits, while improving to 17-2 on the season.

The Mustangs raced out to a 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a pair of three-run homers by Jessica Tickle and Tracy Ratliff. 

A solo shot over the left-center field fence by Katie Malloy closed the gap to 6-1 in the bottom of the second.  

Natalye Chudy's solo homer expanded the CBC lead to 7-1 in the top of the third frame.

Back-to-back homers by Kiara Bonner and Erica Gunter extended the Mustang lead to 9-1 in the top of the fourth. 

A solo homer by Amanda Neumann in the bottom of the fourth made it 9-2. 

Consecutive doubles by Chudy and Candice Brasher, a bases-loaded walk, and a bases-loaded wild pitch moved the score to 12-2 in the top of the sixth. 

Central Baptist...601 203 - 12 14 0
Bellevue..............010 100 - 2 3 2
W: Bock (17-2)
L: Neumann (10-6)
2B: CB, Chudy, Brasher
HR: CB, Tickle, Ratliff, Chudy, Bonner, Gunter; BU, Malloy, Neumann

Game 2: Bellevue 4, Central Baptist 3
Melissa Ackley drove in three runs and Kathryn Wardian blasted a solo shot over the left field fence, while Taylor Mohler struck out five as the Bruins squeaked out the 4-3 dramatic win in the nightcap.

A two-run single by Ackley gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second.

An RBI single by Ackley plated Wardian in the bottom of the fourth, giving BU a 3-0 cushion.

Raeann Surrett led off the top of the fifth inning with a solo homer to center field to cut the lead to 3-1.

Wardian's solo homer in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the winning run as the Bruins built a 4-1 advantage.

The Mustangs answered in the top of the seventh as Ratliff led off the inning with a solo homer to left field and Gunter's single to left field drove in Bonner, who reached on a double, to cut the deficit to 4-3. The Bruins, however, ended the game on a double play as Christen Kirchner flew out to Wardian in center field and Gunter was thrown out at first base.

Mohler improved to 12-5 on the season, scattering six hits with three walks. Jessica Sheldon (14-1) suffered her first loss of the season, allowing four hits and three walks with one strikeout in 3.1 innings of work.

Central Baptist...000 000 2 - 3 6 0
Bellevue.............020 101 x - 4 5 2
W: Mohler (12-5)
L: Sheldon (14-1)
2B: BU, Bridgeford; CB, Bonner
HR: CB, Surrett; BU, Wardian