Bruins split with No. 21 Dickinson State at NSAA Crossover
Erin Sharpe went 3-for-5 on the day, with four RBIs and two home runs to pace the BU offense.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
NSAA Standings
ABERDEEN, S.D. -- The Bellevue University softball team split with No. 21-ranked Dickinson State University Saturday, winning the opener, 9-1 in five innings, before falling in the nightcap, 3-2. The doubleheader was part of the NSAA Crossover Classic being played at the Presentation College Dome.
Bellevue moved to 6-3 on the season with the split and 3-1 in the NSAA. DSU is now 3-5 overall and 2-2 in league play.
The Bruins will conclude action at the tournament on Sunday (Feb. 26) with a 3 p.m. doubleheader against Valley City State University.
Game 1: Bellevue 9, Dickinson State 1 (5 innings)
Erin Sharpe blasted a pair of home runs and Kelli Fisher picked up her fifth win of the season as the Bruins defeated DSU, 9-1, in five innings in the opener.
Sharpe blasted a three-run homer in the top of the first to give the Bruins an early 3-0 advantage.
The Bluehawks got one run back in the bottom of the first after scoring on a throwing error from Sharpe.
The Bruins extended the lead to 4-1 in the top of the second after Kaitlyn Kinman scored on a wild pitch by Bluehawk starter Abigail Brooks.
Bellevue pushed the lead to 8-1 in the top of the third, scoring on a two-run single by Kinman, a sacrifice fly to right by Michaela Miller and on a ground-out RBI by Hannah Carter.
Sharpe's solo shot over the centerfield fence increased the BU lead to 9-1 in the top of the fourth.
Fisher improved to 5-1 on the season, allowing six hits with six strikeouts and one walk in five innings in the circle. Brooks (1-5) was tagged with the loss, scattering nine hits with nine walks and two strikeouts in five innings or work.
Game 2: Dickinson State 3, Bellevue 2
Hannah Carter and Alex Tooley both drove in runs, but it wasn't enough as DSU pulled out the 3-2 victory in the nightcap. The Bluehawks out-hit BU 6-5 in the contest.
Back-to-back doubles by Emily Gigax and Tooley gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second frame.
The Bluehawks took the lead at 2-1 in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Kayla Stephens and an RBI single to center by Rachael Dillon.
A two-out RBI triple by Carter tied the contest at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning.
DSU quickly responded in the top of the sixth with a sacrifice fly to center field by Brianna Grayson that scored Rachael Dillon from third, giving the Bluehawks a 3-2 lead.
Jalen Creech allowed just one baserunner in the final two innings to secure the 3-2 win for DSU.
Lexi LeCalsey (1-1) suffered the loss, despite giving up just one hit while striking out four and walking none in four innings of work.
Creech (2-0) picked up the complete-game win, scattering five hits with five strikeouts and two walks in seven innings in the circle.