Bruins go 1-2 on first day of PFX Spring Games

Calumet Box Score
Northwestern Ohio Box Score
St. Thomas Box Score

CLERMONT, Fla. -- The Bellevue University softball team went 1-2 in the first day of competition at the PFX Spring Games on Sunday afternoon. The Bruins fell 4-3 to Calumet College-St. Joseph and 13-9 to the University of Northwestern Ohio, before rebounding with an 8-6 comeback victory over St. Thomas (Fla.) University in the nightcap. 

Erin Sharpe launched four home runs on the day and picked up the victory over St. Thomas in the final contest of the day. 

The Bruins continue action at the PFX Spring Games on Monday (Mar. 4) when they take on Reinhardt at 12:30 p.m., Judson (Ill.) at 2:45 p.m. and Briar Cliff at 5 p.m.

Calumet-St. Joseph 4, Bellevue 3

The Bruins fell behind by four runs and battled back with three runs in the fifth before falling just short in the opener, dropping a 4-3 decision to CCSJ.

The Bruins scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth on a solo homer by Ellie Bliemeister, an RBI triple by Ashlyn Teran, and a one-run double by Ashley Young.

The Crimson Wave scored on a groundout RBI by Amanda Sandilla in the first inning and a solo home run by Cayla Rokosz in the second inning, to put CCSJ up 2-0. The Crimson Wave went up 3-0 in the top of the third on an RBI double by Sandilla. 

Sandilla made it 4-0 in the top of the fourth on an RBI single to left field. 

Erin Sharpe (0-1) took the loss for Bruins. She went six and a third innings, allowing four runs on ten hits, striking out five and walking zero.

The Bruins collected 11 hits on the day. Sharpe and Bliemeister each had multiple hits for the Bruins. Sharpe led Bruins with three hits in four at-bats.

The Crimson Wave collected ten hits. Sandilla and Rokosz each managed multiple hits for CCSJ. Sandilla went 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs to lead the Crimson Wave offense. 

Northwestern Ohio 13, Bellevue 9

Trailing 7-6, UNOH scored five runs in the top of the fifth en route to the 13-9 victory in BU's second game of the day. 

Erin Sharpe drove in four runners in the loss. Sharpe drove in runs on a home run in the first and a home run in the fourth.

The Bruins got things moving in the first inning, when Sharpe homered on a 2-1 count, scoring two runs.

Hunter Conzelmann took the win for Northwestern Ohio. She allowed three hits and two runs over three innings, striking out one and walking one. Elysha Stapleton threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Monique Ashley (3-3) suffered the loss for the Bruins. She went five innings, allowing 11 runs on 14 hits, striking out four and walking one.

Aubrey Brunst started the game for the Racers. She allowed four hits and three runs over two innings, striking out one and walking one.

The Bruins hit three home runs in the loss. Sharpe had a dinger in the first and fourth innings. Emily Rochford put one out in the seventh inning to pull BU to within four runs at 13-9.

Bellevue racked up ten hits on the day. Kelsey Arnold, Ellie Bliemeister, Sharpe, and Ashley Young each racked up multiple hits for the Bruins. Young, Sharpe, Bliemeister, and Arnold all had two hits to lead the offense.

Bellevue 8, St. Thomas 6

The Bruins scored four runs in the top of the seventh to earn an 8-6 come-from-behind victory over St. Thomas in the nightcap. 

Sharpe went 2-for-3 with two home runs and two RBIs to lead the BU offense. Ashly Teran also drove in two runs, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate with a double. Lauren Jurek with 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI.  

Sharpe launched her third home run of the day, a solo shot to center field to give the Bruins an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The Bobcats countered in the bottom of the first, taking a 2-1 lead on a two-run double by Alliyah Sands. 

STU grabbed a 3-1 advantage in the bottom of the second on an RBI single to center field by Sarah Descheene. 

Lauren Jurek scored from third on a dropped fly ball from STU third baseman Descheene to pull the Bruins to within a run at 3-2 in the top of the third.  

An RBI triple on a line drive to center field by Emily Santos pushed the Bobcat advantage to 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth frame, forcing a BU pitching change as Sharpe replaced starter Brieanna Brock in the circle.  Santos scored on an error by Ashley Young to push the STU lead to 5-2. 

Jurek's RBI double to right field scored Rochford from first to draw the Bruins to within two runs at 5-3 in the top of the fourth. 

Grace Glotfelty's dropped flyball in left field allowed Sands to score from third, giving STU a 6-3 cushion in the bottom of the fourth.

Sharpe's fourth homer on the day, a solo shot to left field drew the Bruins to within a pair of runs at 6-4 in the top of the fifth frame. 

The Bruins tied the game up at 6-6 in the top of the seventh on a two-run double by Ashlyn Teran. BU took its first lead of the game on an RBI double to center field by Rochford and increased the advantage to 8-6 on Kelsey Arnold's line drive RBI single to right field. 

After Sharpe retired the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh, she gave up a single to pinch hitter Bailey Williams, giving way to Monique Ashley. Ashley induced a popup to shortstop Bliemeiester to end the game and earn her second save of the season. 

Sharpe (1-1) earned the win, giving up six hits and no walks with two strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work.