BU downs SAU, falls to No. 4 Marian

Spring Arbor Box Score
Marian Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Bellevue University softball team split a pair of contests Tuesday afternoon at the Spring Games, downing Spring Arbor University, 8-5, before falling to No. 4-ranked Marian University, 8-4, in the nightcap. 

Bellevue, who is now 4-3 in seven games at the tournament, moved to 7-4 overall on the season.  

The Bruins will resume action in the Spring Games on Thursday (Mar. 5) when they battle Cornerstone at 11:15 a.m. before playing a doubleheader with Michigan-Dearborn beginning at 1:45 p.m.

Bellevue 8, Spring Arbor 5

The Bruins scored at least one run in each of the first five innings and got multiple hits from Ellie Bliemeister and Madison Machacek, en route to the 8-5 victory over Spring Arbor in the opener. 

The Cougars struck first, scoring a pair of runs off a fielding error by BU pitcher Cory Carrillo, giving SAU an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. 

BU got one run back in the bottom of the first on Allison O'Driscoll's RBI infield single that scored Bliemeister, slicing the lead to 2-1. 

The Bruins tied the contest at 2-2 in the bottom of the second when Bliemeister scored following a Cougar fielding error. 

Katlyn Kinman led off the bottom of the third with a solo homer to left field. That was followed by a two-run double to center by Bliemeister, giving BU a 5-2 edge after three innings of play. 

An RBI single to left field by Ashley Young scored Maricela Egan from second, pushing the BU lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth. 

Leah Denome led off the fifth inning with a solo homer to center field, trimming the deficit to 6-3. 

The Bruins made it 8-3 in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by an RBI single to center field by Emily Rochford.  

A two-run single to right field by pinch hitter Sarah Matlock cut the BU advantage to 8-5 in the top of the sixth frame.

The Cougars threatened in the top of the seventh with two runners in scoring position, before reliever Brieanna Brock secured the victory after inducing a flyout to left field and striking out Marisa Morgan to earn the save. 

Carrillo was credited with the victory, improving to 4-1 on the season after allowing four hits and five walks with one strikeout in four innings pitched. 

Brock registered the save, scattering two hits with no earned runs, two walks, and three strikeouts in the final three innings of the contest.  

Lauren Wirgau (3-2) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 2.2 innings in the circle. 

Bliemeister finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs to pace the Bruin offense. 

No. 4 Marian 8, Bellevue 4

After battling back from a 4-0 deficit to tie the contest in the top of the fifth, the Bruins gave up four runs in the bottom of the sixth as Marian downed BU, 8-4, in the nightcap. 

Kinman, Rochford, Randi Henry, and Lauren Jurek all drove in runs in the loss.  

A two-run triple by Katie Hewitt and RBI infield singles by Issy Hoyt and Savannah Harweger gave the Knights an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. 

Back-to-back RBI singles by Henry and Jurek trimmed the deficit in half in the top of the fourth, as BU climbed to within two runs at 4-2. 

The Bruins tied the contest at 4-4 in the top of the fifth, scoring on an RBI single to right field by Kinman and on a sacrifice fly to left field by Rochford that plated Madison Machacek from third. 

The Knights regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs, highlighted by an RBI single to left field by Lanie Horen, a sacrifice fly to center field by Shelbie Stotts and an RBI double to right field by Hoyt, making it 8-4.

BU managed just one baserunner in both the sixth and seventh innings as the Knights secured the four-run victory. 

Rochford (1-2) was tagged with the loss, scattering seven hits with one walk and one strikeout in five innings of work. 

Emma Maple (1-1) earned the win after not allowing a hit and striking out two batters in the final two innings of the contest.