Bruins start week with a pair of wins at Spring Games

William Penn Box Score
Dordt Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Bellevue University softball team opened the week on Monday with a pair of wins at the Spring Games, downing William Penn University, 5-1, in the opener, before slipping past Dordt University, 3-2, in the nightcap.  

The Bruins improved to 10-7 on the season with the sweep. BU is now 3-1 in the Spring Games. 

BU will return to action in the Spring Games on Wednesday (Mar. 10) when they battle the University of Northwestern Ohio at 11:15 a.m. and St. Thomas University at 1:30 p.m. (central time). 

Bellevue 5, William Penn 1

Lauren Russell drove in four runs, going 2-for-4 with a home run, to lead the BU offense to the 5-1 victory in the opener. 

The Bruins took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a walk and two hit-by-pitches, which led to a fielder's choice RBI by Lauren Russell. 

WPU tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth on Rebecca De Leon's RBI single to center field.

Russell's two-run homer to center field gave BU a 3-1 advantage in the top of the sixth frame. 

Bellevue added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh on RBI singles by Maricela Egan and Russell. 

Lauren Jurek (5-4) picked up her fifth win of the season, allowing six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in seven innings of work. 

Kelsey Lint suffered the loss, giving up three runs on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts in 5.1 innings.  

Bellevue 3, Dordt 2 (8 innings)

Ellie Bliemeister's walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth sparked the Bruins to the 3-2 win in eight innings in the nightcap. 

Neither team scored until the top of the fifth inning when Hannah Sikkema drove in a run with an RBI single to left field, giving the Defenders a 1-0 advantage. 

The Bruins responded in the bottom half of the fifth, taking a 2-1 lead on Ashley Young's RBI single to right field and on Russells run-scoring double to center field. 

Dordt answered in the top of the sixth, tying the game at 2-2 with an RBI double to left field Erin Bredemus.

Using the international tiebreaker, Emily Mendick was placed on second in the bottom of the eighth. A sacrifice bunt by Egan advanced Mendick to third. Bliemeister's sacrifice fly to center field allowed Mendick to score, giving BU the dramatic 3-2 victory. 

Lead-off batter Katlyn Kinman went 3-for-4 and Young finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Russell collected her team-leading 24th RBI of the season and her 10th extra-base hit with her RBI double in the fifth frame. 

Savannah Gunn improved to 3-2 on the season, scattering six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in eight innings in the circle.