Bruins drop heartbreaker in 9 innings in MCAC title game

CONWAY, Ark. -- The Bellevue University softball team suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to fourth-ranked Central Baptist College in the championship game of the MCAC Softball Tournament at the City of Colleges Park Friday. 

Central Baptist (50-5), which earned the league's automatic berth into the NAIA National Tournament, forced a second championship game by defeating the Bruins 6-1 earlier in the day. 

The loss in the first game snapped the Bruins' 17-game winning streak. 

Bellevue (44-16) will now await its post-season fate as the NAIA National Tournament qualifiers will be announced on Sunday, May 6. 

Central Baptist 6, Bellevue 1
The Mustangs' Jessica Sheldon (21-1) tossed a two-hitter while striking out six and walking one in CBC's 6-1 win in the first championship game.

The Bruins' lone run came on a solo homer by Brooke Ellis in the top of the fifth inning.  

Central Baptist took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first following three-consecutive singles capped by an RBI single to left field by Jessica Tickle. 

The Mustangs added a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to center field by Natalye Chudy to take a 3-0 lead in the third inning. 

Kara Bonner's two-run homer made it 5-0 in the fourth before BU avoided the shutout with Ellis' 12th home run of the season in the fifth. 

An RBI single by Candice Brasher completed the game's scoring at 6-1.

Bellevue..............000 010 0 - 1 2 0
Central Baptist...102 210 x - 6 8 0
W: Sheldon (21-1)
L: Kindelin (11-5)
2B: CB: Bonner
HR: CB: Bonner; BU, Ellis

Central Baptist 4, Bellevue 3 (9 innings)
A bases-loaded run scoring shot to left center by Samantha Luther in the bottom of the ninth gave the Mustangs the dramatic 4-3 win over the Bruins in the title game. 

Central Baptist took a 1-0 lead with a solo homer by Natalye Chudy in the bottom of the second frame. 

Bellevue gained the lead in the top of the sixth, scoring three runs on a bases-loaded fielding error by third baseman Erica Gunter. 

The Mustangs quickly responded, tying the game in the bottom of the sixth by scoring two unearned runs on a Bruin fielding error. 

Neither team scored again until Luther's ninth-inning heroics. 

Sheldon picked up her second win of the day, allowing just one hit with no walks and two strikeouts in four innings of relief. 

Amanda Neumann (12-7) took the loss, scattering five hits with six walks and seven strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work. 

Bellevue..............000 003 000 - 3 3 4
Central Baptist...010 002 001 - 4 7 4
W: Sheldon (22-1)
L: Neumann (12-7)
2B: CB, Brasher, Kirchner, Surrett
HR: CB, Chudy